Unsigned Statement
by airmac
Summary: Takes place in the middle of season four. Chase is in trouble, House is the one to blame. HouseChase friendship, ChaseCameron relationship. NOW COMPLETE!
1. House, Cameron

_A/N: This story was inspired by DIY Sheep's The Contract, but this one is about Chase and House. Also you'll find here Cameron, Wilson, Cuddy, Foreman and Stacy. Enjoy and please tell me what you think about it._

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**Warning **for graphic violence, if it bothers you please don't read.

Many, many, many thanks to the beta-reader of this chapter - ChibiTomoyo !!!

_Disclaimer: House MD. belongs to Universal. I think, it is quite obvious._

_I'm posting this one review here, maybe it will help you decide whether you want to read this story or not:_

_by Carter Lee (I hope you don't mind):_

_2008-11-07 . chapter 9_

_"I remember reading the first chapter of this story over thee summer. Then I forgot about it and stumbled upon it today on a whim. I have to say that I have really enjoyed what you have written so far. When I started reading, I thought it was going to be another recovery fic in which Chase gets raped and then everyone feels sorry for him and then sees their own lives in a new perspective. But instead I was pleasantly surprised by a very unique, well written story."_

* * *

"Please…"

"Please _What_, Cameron? Please break through the Alcatras and bring me my love back?"

"There is no need for sarcasm, House. Just visit him… I know something is wrong, but he's not telling me and I can't understand…"

"What a great observation! Of course there's something wrong! Last time I check, he was still in prison, which is not a good sign, you know." House interrupted her one more time.

She just looked at the floor, tears ready to fall from her eyes.

House tried to be more gently, but his words made her cover her face and cry softly.

"Even if I could tell you exactly what's going on, there is nothing we can do about it. He is there for two years and unless a miracle happens, he has to go through whatever that is happening there, alone, and we will deal with the consequences here, when he could be back home."

He let her cry. After several minutes she wiped her face with her sleeve and smiled sadly. "He was laughing last time… just to cheer me up… said everything is fine… but I could see him wincing when the guard shoved him to his seat… he was trying hard to cover it up, but… I know that he was barely able to walk when they took him back… His face… all covered in bruises… He says it's better that way..."

House chuckled, which made her look up at him in disbelief.

"He's right, he's too good looking for prison, a couple of bruises won't harm him…"

Suddenly she was furious. "Won't harm him?! Eyes are black and blue, his nose is broken, his lips are split in several places, he has bloody cuts on his cheeks and his temple. How could you say something like that?! And I'm sure it's not only the face, I just can't see trough the uniform!" Tears flooded with new force when she remembered how Chase looked sitting at the opposite side of the glass. "They are raping him..." She didn't know whether it was statement or a question.

But House said abruptly, "No!"

"How do _you_ know?" Cameron was surprised, by his reaction, as if he cared.

"I just hope they wouldn't." She was waiting for an explanation. "First, they wouldn't have beaten him up if they were raping him and second… I've persuaded him to do the only thing I could…." He obviously didn't want to tell her, but he had no choice, and he owed her at least that. "We made papers as if he has neurosyphilis."

"You _what_?!" She just couldn't believe her ears.

"Look, it was the only way to stop…" It was hard for him to say that word, "maybe it won't stop some of the crazy ones, but at least the majority would think twice, before doing something like that."

It suddenly hit her what exactly Chase had to go through down there.

"Why don't you want to visit him?"

"I just don't see, how it could help him."

"But it won't make any harm either, if he knew that somebody else cared."

Chase knew that House really did care, the way he was acted during his trial, how he was ready to do anything - even going to jail with him, and Chase was barely able to convince him otherwise.

But Cameron continued bitterly, everything what happened was terribly wrong and House did caused most of it.

"He could have ignored your request, you were not his boss anymore! But you made up that terribly sad story about the dying patient and that Foreman wouldn't help you, and your new ducklings were not ready for it, and that you are a cripple and couldn't do it, you left him with no choice. But all of that was bullshit! Truth was, that your new team were sure, that there was nothing they could do. So you believed, that with that kind of attitude, they would not find anything. More than that, the boy's father used to work in the FBI, but you didn't bother to mention it to him, did you?"

House was silently examining his leg. Did Cameron just dismiss his disability as an excuse not to break into somebody's house? And if he had to run or jump, he couldn't do it, wasn't that a valid excuse? The girl had changed! He wished Chase would have changed as well and would not do things he didn't want to do.

"He always trusted you, you could have just asked for help and he would do it..." Cameron continued softly. "But Foreman and the rest of them were right, your patient was really dying and he did die. And his parents wanted someone to blame, to have their revenge, as if it would have brought their son back…" Cameron stopped, she wasn't looking at him, but she knew that House was very uncomfortable. He didn't do well with that kind of conversations and she knew that nobody directly told him that Chase's imprisonment was his fault before. "When they learned that you have sent someone to check their house, that was their moment of glory. It wasn't hard to prove that he was really there. When they arrested him, they asked him to put his wallet, car keys and watch into plastic bag and later they used the same bag with his fingerprints to hide that damned necklace in his car. And there was no way he could prove, that they planted it after his arrest... Especially when whole police department was against him."

"Why are you telling me this?" He knew Chase was set up. Chase was set up, so they could get to _him_. But Chase was fucked with him coming along or without. That's what Chase told him, that's what the lawyer told him, Stacy told him, Cuddy, Foreman, Wilson, all of them told him. And here was Cameron telling him there was something else.

"I know you, House, I know you feel guilty, I just don't know why you don't want to go and check how he's doing there, as for _you_ are the one who put him in all that mess." She was surprisingly calm, which made House deny.

"I didn't put him there! I didn't know they were crazy! I didn't know that they would go that far! And Chase knew about his father..." House added, avoiding eye contact with Cameron, "Foreman told him."

Cameron was lost, did he just say that Chase was stupid enough to B&E into FBI ex-employee's house?

"But why... why?" She wasn't even able to make a proper question.

"He thought, there was hope... He thought, I was right... if the problem would have been environmental, we could have saved him..."

"But you were wrong..."

"Look, I wanted to share my responsibility with Chase, but it wouldn't change anything, except me being in jail with him now and him getting a longer sentence for lying."

"That make sense to you, doesn't it? It eases your conscious?"

"Look! What do you want me to do?! Go down there and say please take me to jail, _I_ made him break into their home?! It won't help him, it won't free him, he will still be in jail!" He continued softly "I didn't know it would end up like this."

"None of it would have happened, if you didn't ask him to break into their house in the first place!"

House moved his head back in irritation "Here we go again! I said, I'm fucking sorry!! If you continue to press on me like that, I will really go there and save myself from dealing with you!"

Maybe she was wrong, maybe House really have done everything he could to help Chase, but still she knew that it shouldn't have been like this. Everyone she loved end up in some trouble. Chase was fine until she fell in love with him, until she understood, that he, like House, cared much more than he actually wanted anybody to know. "You don't love, you need," echoed in her head, House was right. Chase was damaged, more than anyone could tell, more than she was… Then why god wanted to damage him more?!

House was silently looking at her, his heart broke to see her like that, to know that one of his friends was in trouble and he could do nothing about it. Yes, it was his fault, he knew it, but he couldn't make himself say it loud. He wished Chase said "no", like Forman did, but he didn't. When all that mess started, there was no way he would drag House into it, the memory of his betrayal to Vogler was still fresh in Chase's mind. Despite House's testimony, that he personally asked Chase to do it, Chase denied, said that House came for a consult and only slightly suggested that problem could have been at home, but all the rest was his own decision, because in his medical opinion House was right, if he could have found something, they could save the boy. Chase pleaded guilty for breaking and searching, but he pleaded not guilty for stealing, it didn't help him. His lawyer advised him to cooperate, he was hoping his client would get suspended sentence, and not two year imprisonment, if he would have accepted all charges. But Chase was adamant, he wasn't a thief.

He was distracted from his thoughts, when Cameron got up.

"I better be going," she put on her coat. When she was at the door, she heard him ask.

"If I go, will it interfere with your visiting hours?"

"No," She shook her head with a soft smile, "I'm his wife…"

She could see his dumb face. "What? When?..." He wanted to ask more, but was just too surprised.

"Wife gets more visiting hours," She shrugged her shoulders, "It was my request… He didn't want to, sometimes I think he doesn't even want to see me there…" She was ready to burst into new wave of tears; she had to get out, before she did.

"Believe me, he does want to see you." She heard House say, before glass door closed behind her.


	2. House, Chase, Cameron, OC, Cuddy

_A/N: Many, many, many thanks to You're out of your vulcan mind for wonderful beta of this chapter and encouragement!_

* * *

Prison. He hated it! Why did everything end up like that? Cuddy. It was all her fault! If she didn't bring in Vogler, Chase wouldn't do anything stupid, and then he wouldn't feel guilty enough to listen to House… No, that was too much, even for his twisted logic. Why couldn't he have seen how crazy the parents were? Why couldn't he have been more careful? All he'd wanted to do, was save their son's life!

His thoughts kept him occupied, he didn't even notice when he went through all the checking and eventually ended up in a small booth with clear glass in front of him. It's been several minutes before he heard the rattle of the locks and then he saw two burly guards dragging a small frame in grey uniform between them.

O, shit! House thought to himself. He barely recognized him. His hair was gone, House presumed they'd shaved him, he hadn't seen him in three months, some of it came back, but it was still very short. He was too thin, there wasn't much left from his once well built body. And his face… Cameron was right, it was too awful. House couldn't take his eyes off him, while Chase for his part couldn't bring himself to look at House.

"Fuck! You look like shit!"

That was House, right to the point, it made Chase smile and look up at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the infirmary? Or they don't have any, maybe we could bring you to Princeton Plainsboro for a check?"

He wished they could, Chase thought, but he shook his head and said instead, "I've been there already, there's nothing serious…"

"Save your bullshit for Cameron!" House brains started to spin frantically for some kind of solution, because otherwise there was no sense in what he was saying. He had to help Chase or keep his mouth shut and pretend that nothing was happening, so that he could at least leave Chase some illusion of dignity.

Chase looked at his cuffed hands, there was no point; they couldn't do anything, except make him feel more miserable.

"Sorry," House was quick to catch his mistake. "It's just not easy…"

"Did Cameron ask you to come?" Chase asked quickly, wanting to change the subject.

House nodded, feeling even guiltier now, he'd thought she'd been exaggerating.

"How are your new ducklings? How many have you got now?"

House didn't know what to do, he could play along as if nothing happened, or try to get more information out of Chase. Or maybe that was what Chase needed, some normal conversation about nothing.

"Three"

"Including Foreman?"

He shook his head "no". How the hell he was going to continue all this bullshit, when battered and bruised Chase was sitting in front of him?

He could not stop himself from studying him, he was a diagnostician after all. Chase couldn't hold his stare and looked down again, he wished he could skip all this, but he knew he couldn't, he could fool Cameron, but not House. That's why he didn't want him to visit him in the first place, and that is why Cameron was so desperate for the opposite.

His face was a mess. His nose was broken and now was healing in the wrong shape and House doubted a plastic surgeon would be able to do anything about it when Chase was released. There was no blood on his face now, but more recent cuts were still bright red. He wondered how it felt to wash your own blood from your own face after abuse, he would have asked Chase about it if he could. The bruises were new and old. How many times they beat the shit out of him, or maybe the right question was how often? Every week? Or every day? He couldn't ask that either. There were angry red marks on his neck, like rope burns, he couldn't see much beyond it, except for his hands, there were bruises on his wrists and he suspected he got two broken fingers.

During the intense examination, Chase tried to cover as much of himself as he could, while trying to sit comfortably, which was not easy to do with the damage he had on his abdomen and chest.

"How many broken ribs you've got?" House asked suddenly. He could see Chase's obvious discomfort and could even see a smear of blood on his uniform near his chest.

Chase looked at him bitterly, as if asking, why he was doing this to him.

"I just want to make sure, there is nothing lifethreatening."

"There isn't," Chase said calmly, "And there is nothing you can do about it anyway."

"No, you are wrong there! I can do something about it! We live in the fucking 21st century, in a fucking free country and I'll be dammed to let someone be treated, like I see, they treat you!"

Chase laughed bitterly, "Ask Foreman before you do anything stupid."

House knew that their conversation was going nowhere.

"Just tell me how you feel?" That was stupid question, but he was in a stupid situation.

"If I say fine, you won't believe me, so I would say I feel like shit."

"You sure, there's nothing you can do?"

"You think I like it? You think I wouldn't have if I could?" Chase was looking at him.

"Maybe _we_ can do something?"

Chase snorted, why they wouldn't leave him alone.

"How is our plan? Working?" House decided to change the subject for a while.

Chase knew immediately what House was talking about.

"Yes, it is." After a brief pause he added, "Thank you."

"For what? For landing you in jail, when you weren't even working for me anymore?"

Chase looked at him with a soft smile, there was adoration in his eyes; he really loved that man, probably more than he ever loved any of his parents.

"There is something you're not telling me." House stated suddenly.

Chase was surprised, "What are you talking about?"

"If I knew, I would ask direct questions. So what is it?"

"Nothing, you know everything!"

"I don't believe you!"

"That is your problem," Chase looked annoyed.

"No, Chase, it is your problem now, it's you who are behind the bars, not me."

Chase didn't say a word, he had to keep it quiet, he wasn't going to tell him the truth anyway. He wished visiting hours were over.

"So… What is it?"

"What makes you think, there is something?"

"Look, you are not the only pretty guy, who has been sent to prison, but not all of them end up like you."

"How many guys do you know?"

"Forеman..."

Chase laughed sincerely, "I doubt anyone would consider Foreman 'pretty'."

"Stop bullshitting me! What the hell is wrong? What is it you are not telling me? Why are they so interested in you?"

"I don't know, you said yourself, maybe I'm pretty?"

Chase noticed that House looked sharply behind his back, he slightly turned to see another prisoner led by the narrow corridor.

"Why is he not in handcuffs, but you are?" House asked suspiciously.

Chase knew that for his former boss a simple trifle was enough to explain much. He sighed wearily and pretended that it was nothing.

"It means that your problem is not with sell mates, but with your jailers." House voiced his logic conclusion, "But why?"

"Why does it matter?" Chase blurted angrily.

"What have you done? Why are they doing this to you?"

"Fuck! I didn't do anything!"

"You have done _something_! Otherwise they wouldn't beat the shit out of you and hold you as if you are a murderer."

"I just didn't get on with someone", Chase opened eyes widely, hoping that it would give more sincerity to his look and would stop House in his attempts to get to the truth.

"You? Couldn't get on? My personal ass-kisser couldn't find a way with his new authorities?" House said with deep irony in his voice and then added, "I'll never believe in that!"

"Believe what you want, just leave me alone."

House looked at his watch, "We've got 5 minutes left. You know, I'll find out anyway. Telling the truth, would just make it all easier for both of us."

"I doubt it very much." Chase said barely above a whisper.

The moment House wanted to ask more questions, he heard the guard say that visiting hours were over. He wanted to protest, but they came after Chase who immediately stood up to follow them, he didn't even look at House, as if he was relieved that the visit was over.

* * *

The second time he visited was quite different. There was something definitely wrong. The moment Chase walked into his part of the booth he collapsed, putting his hands on the desk and resting his head above it.

"Do you mind, I catch a little sleep?" He asked without even looking at House and was out within the seconds. House wanted to wake him up, but thought better of it. He couldn't see his face, but there were new bruises over his head, still covered with blood, he could easily see it through the short hair.

* * *

Third time… there was no third time. Cameron burst crying into his office.

"What happened?" he asked. He was afraid of her answer.

"He… he is… in coma…" She managed to say between the sobs. He got up and embraced her in his arms, before she would collapse.

"What else do you know?"

She shook her head, "Not much… Went to visit him, they said it's not possible, said he was in infirmary… in coma."

That was probably the only condition but dead, where Chase could have managed to get some medical attention.

After the first visit House tried all his connections to get information, but it was in vain, he wasn't getting anywhere. He started to blame himself again, he should have known, that Chase wouldn't last long in the condition he was in the last time he saw him, it was just impossible to sustain so much beating. Coma was the best thing for him for a while, but he was a doctor, coma was too close to death, and he was not there to help. He was not there… That's it - he had to get there!

He sat Cameron gently on the chair, paged Wilson and burst out of the room to the Cuddy's office.

It was very hard; it took them three full days of calling, visiting important people, and all lawyers he knew, including Stacy. And House had a feeling, that he got there not because of a good job negotiating, but because Chase was too bad and as much as they wanted to damage him, they didn't want to kill him, at least not while he was in their prison.

* * *

The Infirmary was quite big, with two exam rooms and two big rooms, each could hold six inmates.

Chase was in one of them, there were three more inmates in the room. He was very still, like he was sleeping, there were no machines checking his vitals, no oxygen, only an IV with fluids or maybe something else, House didn't know. His skin, where it wasn't purple or blue or yellow from the bruises, was too white, almost transparent, like there was not enough blood running trough his veins. House lifted up his shirt, he grimaced in pain when he saw Chase's torso. There wasn't any untouched part.

He didn't want to, but he had to examine him the old fashioned way, they did not have ex-ray, so he started to run his experienced hands through the wounds. It looked like all the ribs were broken or cracked, he was sure there was internal bleeding, but which organ was most damaged he could not tell. He looked at his pupils and took a pulse, Chase was indeed in coma. If House had been in his office, he wouldn't have enough place on his white board to list everything, that actually could cause it. When he finished with the abdomen he moved to check Chase's head, there were several quite serious bruises still covered with blood, and unless they were cleared he could not tell how much damage they'd caused.

House didn't think it was important at that stage, but still he checked his hands and legs. His wrists were cut right to the bone from the handcuffs, there were also marks on his ankles but not so deep – they were restraining him quite well. His left hand appeared to be broken and they didn't even make any bandage for him. Both hands and legs were also covered in bruises, but at the moment it was not the priority.

"I need to speak to the warden," he announced to the guard who was accompanying him, who, to his surprise took him to his office without even calling anyone, which meant that warden wanted to meet him anyway.

"Oh! The Legendary Gregory House! Nice to meet you!" Warden, the man in his late fifties, made the move to greet the doctor, but stopped, saving himself from embarrassment, the moment he saw the look on Houses face, "Have a seat."

House complied, but didn't utter a word, he was looking at his cane, but he could feel the man staring at him. He could barely stop himself from punching the man in front of him and demand that Chase should go with him to hospital immediately, but he knew that it was not as simple as that, and he had to be very careful in order to help Chase somehow.

Eventually warden broke the silence, "You wanted to meet me?"

"I think you don't really mind, so maybe YOU wanted to meet me?"

"Probably," warden said with a smirk, "I've heard so much about you, it was interesting to see the real man behind the myth."

The man was really annoying, the way he stared at House as if he was a museum display, but he had to control himself, so he kept quiet, knowing that it would make warden to talk more and give him some clue how to get Chase out of there.

"All right, you are right, I wanted to meet you. I wanted to see the man, the others would die for."

That comment made House look up, question was in his eyes.

"You didn't know, did you?

"Didn't know what?"

"Why your friend ended up in jail, when he could have got off with some light penalty and suspended sentence?"

"I didn't think he had an option."

"Believe me, he did," he fished for some papers in his drawer and handed them to House, who looked at them bewildered. "Come on, take them, you should be interested."

House got up and took the papers. He was afraid to look at them; he already suspected what he would see there.

It was a transcript of Chase interrogation, what was said, that he broken in to that apartment because House made him to. When he read to the end, he could see that it was not signed, but he could see strange dark brown spots all over the last page. Again he looked up at warden for an answer.

"He didn't sign it, as you can see. If he did, he would have been free."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I wanted you to know," then he continued quietly, "You see, the vast majority of my inmates are criminals. Your friend is not a criminal; he's just someone who happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. I've got nothing against him, but I have orders, and your friend managed to piss off some very important people. At the same time he managed to save your life, but it was too late for him to save his own."

"I don't understand! There was a trial, everything was open, how could they made him do it, he wasn't even jailed at that time!"

"He was. For three nights, before the bail. They tried to show him how it would be like, if he did not sign, but he made his choice. By the way, he still has a choice, even here, they could free him any second if he would agree to testify against you. I even tried to talk to him myself, but he is very stubborn."

"I testified, that it was my idea, that I made him do it. Why they didn't take that opportunity if they were after me?"

"First of all, because he was the suspect, and his word was worth more than yours. Besides, you looked like a father who wanted to be punished instead of his son, at least that's what he made it look like to the judge and jury. Besides I'm telling you, he pissed them off, I don't know what he said or did, but they are determined to break him."

House was shocked, he never thought that Chase would ever do something like that, he didn't know, that he sustained all those beatings only because of him, because he didn't want to betray him, a second time. He should have known it, seen it, but he was blind.

House was lost in his thoughts, when he saw that warden was standing above him, holding some photographs. He took them and stared absent-mindedly through them, but those images would haunt him for the rest of his life. Тhey were pictures of Chase, where he was held by the handcuffed wrists above his head and beaten, where he was naked and chained to the table and all his back was covered in blood, or where he was cramped in the corner of his sell with cuffed hands behind his back.

"Why?" House pleaded, "Why do you want me to know all this? Is it some kind of torture?"

Warden took all the papers and photos from his hands and went back to sit at his desk.

"I want you to do everything you can to save him."

"Don't you think, I would have done that without all of this?" He asked bitterly.

"I didn't know. All I know, that he gave up his life for you and you didn't even bother to visit him for three months."

"I can't do anything here! He's almost dead, maybe already dead, while we chat here! I have to take him to hospital." House didn't want to continue all this bullshit and wanted to get back on his task, saving Chase.

"That's what I thought. I can release him, but only on one condition."

"Whatever you want," House said without even thinking.

* * *

They let him take Chase to the hospital only when House signed the papers that stated Chase was in coma not because he was beaten almost to death, but he had bacterial Meningitis. And in case he didn't survive, the blame would be on House, and warden even warned him that he could end up in jail himself, because the state could sue him if anything happened to the prisoner. It was risky decision, House didn't have any illusions, if Chase would survive it would be a miracle, he had only one chance from hundred, but House was not yet ready to rob him of that, even if eventually he could end up in prison himself.

He called Cuddy to send an ambulance to the prison as soon as possible.

"I need OR ready, when we arrive and all machines available. I want Forman and Wilson there and your choice of surgeons, you know them better anyway. And lose Cameron somewhere, she doesn't need to see him like this."

"How is he?"

"Not now, make arrangements and I call you on my way." With that he hung up.

* * *

_A/N: Please review, you know it means a lot :)_


	3. Chase, OCs, House, Cameron

_Many, many, many thanks to the beta-reader of this story - ChibiTomoyo !_

_Here is the original a/n, I didn't delete it because it expressed my mood at that time:_

_A/N: I am really not sure about posting this chapter. I have so much more written, but I lost my original drive and now I don't like what I have. And I can't change it without second opinion either, lucky the ones who has co-writers! So better don't read..._

* * *

When they arrived at PPTH, the ER team was already waiting, they ran the needed tests and headed straight to OR. Cuddy summoned the best surgeon team she could get.

For most of them Chase was more than just a patient, they worked with him in the same operation room dozens times before and now he was on the other side of the scalpel. It was all too wrong, he shouldn't be there, he was too young, and that shouldn't have happened to him. He was a nice person, always polite, professional and at the same time could make a good joke if needed.

Everybody blamed House, that arrogant bastard, who didn't give a damn about anybody. But today was different, they never saw him like that. He was as white as a sheet, his hands were trembling and there was deep concerned look, they ever saw on his face, as if it was his own son on the operating table.

Chase's condition was very bad, they were not magicians, but they knew that they had to do everything in their power to make sure he would at least stay alive.

They spent 20 hours in the operation room. They had to change teams, because it was not possible to maintain that concentration for so long. House was always there, but he didn't operate himself, he was observing and making suggestions when needed. At one point the sobbing in the gallery distracted him. There were Cameron and Cuddy. The young woman was crying, while the other was trying to support her, eventually she managed to persuade her to leave. Cameron left, because in her mind, there was nothing she could do, except watch him die.

When the operation was over House burst out of the room. Wilson wanted to follow, but then changed his mind, maybe House needed to be alone. Wilson didn't know why his friend wanted him to be there, there wasn't anything he could do medically. The only reason he could think of was that, if Chase died, somebody has to be there for House.

HHH

_He was tired, really tired; his head throbbed and all his body aced. Maybe House was right, maybe there was something wrong with him. He had to laugh silently – of course there was something wrong with him – he was beaten up again, he didn't even count how many times they did it to him. In the beginning, he was trying to keep track of his injuries, but later when he was spending more time unconscious, he could just imagine what was done to him, by the level of pain he would have, when he would be awake again._

_It was strange, why was he in the interrogation room? If they wanted to beat him they could do it in his cell. His hands were cuffed behind his back to the back of his chair. He would not be able to get up, but on the other hand he would not fall from it either, and right now the simple sitting task was quite hard effort for him._

_He lost his sense of time; then the rattles of the locks awoken him from his daze. Three men entered the small room. Smartly dressed as always, special agent Smith and special agent Johnson or whatever, he didn't give a damn, he doubt these were their real names anyway, so why bother. They had power over him, they could free him, beat the shit out of him or even kill him, and there was nothing he could do about it._

_He didn't care about the two goons, he knew what their purpose was for, but he was concerned to see the third guy – special agent Harrington. He heard the name before, but didn't remember where._

_He used to do all the talking, when he was arrested, he was the one who made him choose and he was the one whose promises of making his life hell came true. Why was he here? He was already in hell, what else they were going to do to him._

_The man smiled to himself, when he saw how concerned Chase looked after spotting him. It would make his speech easier. He took his time to examine Chase, he was satisfied, they did a good job – Chase was alive, but visibly in pain and suffering. His smile disappeared when he remembered why he was there. He wondered why Chase didn't want to stop it?_

_He had a big problem now. He had to make Chase testify against House at any cost, because otherwise his own job was at stake and possibly his own freedom. House already managed to come close enough to find out the truth and then he could easily put two together and go straight to the Internal Affairs Bureau. He told that stupid warden to ban House from visiting Chase, but that idiot was more concerned about his own ass. If anything would go wrong he would make sure to drag everyone involved with him, along with those grieving parents. If only he had known, that this stupid blond would be so stubborn, he would have never taken this case. He seemed so cooperative, until House's name was at stake._

"_So? How are you doing here?"_

_Chase didn't even flinch; he was busy examining every single crack on the metallic table in front of him. One of the men smacked his head, not enough to loose consciousness, but enough to make him cry out in pain and consider answering._

"_Have been better," muttered Chase, he wanted to stop pounding in his head, but he was not even able to touch it._

"_Did you ever consider, that this could get worse?"_

_Chase looked up and saw the man was grinning, but said nothing._

"_Relax, I came here to talk."_

_Chase doubt his words, this man never just talked, he hoped that maybe he would be lucky enough to pass out in the beginning of whatever they were going to do to him._

"_I was thinking recently, about you. It's been four mounts and you still don't want to tell us the truth, so we could rule the right sentence to all involved in this case."_

"_I already told the tru…"_

"_Shut up!" He yelled suddenly, "I've heard that before!" He had to pause to regain his composure to continue, "So I tried to gather more information. Really, what was your aim in saving that worthless ass from prison? Three years ago you quite gladly betrayed your boss to save your job, is it right?"_

_Chase looked to the ground, it's been three years and he still was ashamed of what he had done, he nodded and whispered "yes"._

"_So is this why you are so stubborn now? You want to pay for your sins?"_

_Chase knew, that it wasn't only the guilt, he cared about House, but he wasn't going to explain anything. He managed to say, "yes", before the guy behind him was ready to punch him._

"_I see… I should have known, so I wouldn't wasted my time on helping you deal with your guilt. But my fishing for information brought another option, which probably would make you change your mind."_

_Chase visibly tensed._

_The man picked up his case and took out the thin envelope, he emptied it on the table._

_There were several photographs. Chase was shocked to see Alison on all of them. They were shots from the hidden camera, when she was crossing the street and heading to what looked like clinic, but not PPTH._

"_You did a good job, pretending that you don't care about her. You even fooled me! Your story of you marrying her, so she would just leave you alone and eventually you would end up with the benefit of the green card, made quite impression on me. But you were lying. I wonder, are you capable of telling the truth at all?" Harrington knew Chase cared about his wife, he just didn't know that it will go that far and he would have to drag her into that mess to make him testify. He looked up in his case and took a sheet of paper; he put it before Chase to read._

_It was a copy of examination list, Chase filled that kind of forms many times before, he could easily read the other doctors writing. His head started to swim, when he spotted his wife's name at the top and word – pregnant in the middle. It was a boy, ultrasound showed five mounts. His heart started to pound, he could feel sweat starting to form on his forehead. He had to play it cool, he could not show, that he cared. They already knew he cared about House and look where it got him._

"_She didn't tell you, did she?" He asked with the smirk on his face._

_Chase cleared his throat and said as calmly as he could manage, "No". His voice broke, it wasn't the right way to learn, that you would be a father soon; he was straggling to hold back his tears._

"_You love her, don't you?"_

_Chase didn't answer, didn't look up. He got another blow to his head, his only wish was it to be enough to pass out, but it wasn't. Instead it made one single tear drop down on the paper._

"_I suspect, you already got my message."_

_Chase looked up, disbelieve in his eyes. They couldn't threaten him with her!_

"_You think, I would think twice before hurting her? If so, you can't be more wrong! If my effort would end up with justice being accomplished, then it is quite worth it!" He knew how stupid his words were, it wasn't about justice at all. He had to get Chase's testimony at any cost, he wasn't going to arrest House anymore, it would simply make Chase keep quiet after he would be released. The only other option was to make sure, that Chase would never ever speak again. But he was not a killer, at least he thought he wasn't. It's not like he never killed anybody, but that was different, he had no choice and they were criminals. He didn't have a choice now, did he?_

"_Please…" Chase almost whispered, tears were running down his cheeks, "Please, don't do anything to her…"_

"_You told me, you don't care, right?"_

"_Please… I… I'll do anything…"_

"_Now I like your attitude, it's a shame you weren't as cooperative a few months ago." He leaned a little to look him in the eyes, "So are you ready to put your precious signature on some forms?"_

_Chase nodded silently. He didn't believe, that they could hurt her, but he couldn't risk. He would have given in anyway, even if he didn't know, that she was pregnant. He was aware that the man left, saying, "Keep an eye on him, I'll be right back"._

_Thoughts were flying through his head with tremendous speed. He couldn't betray House and he couldn't risk Cameron. The decision came fast. He didn't have much time. There was the only way out, without hurting anybody except himself and it was exactly what he had chosen._

_He gathered all his strength and launched himself forward together with the chair._

_The man didn't expect that blow from the handcuffed and broken prisoner, he doubled in pain. Chase after connecting with man's abdomen couldn't hold his balance and fell on his left side, terrible pain rushed trough his left arm, and he could hear the bones make a crack sound, he closed his eyes and tried to block the pain from his head. He didn't see where the first kick came from, but it didn't matter, they were coming one after another, the pain was blinding, the blissful unconsciousness was coming. He was happy, he was waiting for it for so long. The last coherent thought was that he didn't really want to wake up again, there was nothing left in this world for him. He would lose anyway, if he betrayed House he would never forgive himself, if he hurt Cameron he would never be able to live with it, and he didn't want to be a father - there was no way he could be better than Rowan, because he never saw any other example, he would hurt his own baby, so better not live. At that, he blacked out completely._

HHH

It's been the whole week and he didn't stir. On one hand House was glad, because otherwise they would sedate him anyway to keep him unconscious, on the other hand, coma's were too unpredictable, he could come out the moment he would felt better or he could never wake up again. The MRI didn't show any brain damage, but nobody would know anything for sure, until Chase woke up.

Cameron reacted to the change on the monitors long before Chase even tried to open his eyes. She paged House, unable to deal with Chase in that condition, she was frightened of what to expect from him now. She was amazed, how quickly House managed to reach ICU, probably because he wasn't far away.

They stood silently at the bedside, waiting for Chase to wake up. She moved further from bed, knowing that House would deal better with Chase now.

He blinked several times and flinched from the bright light. Eventually he managed to keep them open, but everything was in the blur, he saw a long figure leaning on the cane, he couldn't believe his eyes, maybe he was hallucinating. But then he heard the voice, what was he asking? He couldn't tell. He tried to remember what happened and suddenly everything came back in one moment: prison, FBI agents, Cameron... Cameron!

House watched as monitors started to beep, indicating rising heartbeat and pressure. Chase tried to move, but it was in vain, pain shoot through him and he closed his eyes.

"Get him morphine!"

Cameron was in a daze, but managed to do what she was told.

Despite the terrible pain rushing from different parts of his body Chase managed to whisper the only question he had, no sound came out, but House understood what he meant.

"She's fine, she's here. Want to see her?" Without waiting for his answer, he motion Cameron to come closer. She was trembling, but approached his bed. She wanted to touch him, kiss him, tell him how much she loved him, but instead she just stared at him.

Chase was looking at her, as if trying to see whether she was really all right. He smiled, but it was hard to tell, as for his face was mostly in bandage. House saw the triumph in Chase eyes, as if seeing Cameron was some kind of victory for him, he had to ask him about her later. Chase smile didn't last long, as pain came back and he had to close his eyes again. Single tear tracked down from the corner of his eye to disappear into his hair, then another one. House connected morphine to his IV and let it drip. But it didn't stop his tears for at least another half hour. By that time Cameron was not able to stand anymore, she sat on House chair and gently took Chase's hand in hers. She was crying as well.

House left them and went to arrange new tests. He was satisfied, there seemed to be no brain damage, but it had to be confirmed with more tests, when Chase would be able to stay awake for more than just one minute.

When he returned two hours later, he found them in the same position. Cameron holding Chase's hand, the only difference was, that she was the only one who was still crying.

He approached her and gently said, "He's out."

She just looked up at him.

"Let's go, you need to eat something." Her belly was already showing up a little, but the rest was getting even smaller. "I know you are not hungry, but there is someone who could really use a lunch."

House was right, she wasn't hungry, but she had to eat, she looked at her husband. It was strange; she didn't feel like he was her husband. They only spent three days together after the "wedding".

"I don't think, he will come around in next couple of hours, and even if he does, we have to sedate him." He didn't need to tell her why, she was the doctor, the pain would be unbearable and he could have cardiac arrest; he already had one during operation, they managed to bring him back, one more could be fatal.

She got up. Ever since all that began she was becoming more like a zombie. Going through everyday routine on autopilot, hoping that it was just a dream. And as everything got only worse, she was getting worse as well.

House wanted to talk to her, he wanted to do it the first day he brought Chase to PPTH, but couldn't gather enough courage. She would probably hate him for the rest of her life, but he had to tell her.

HHH

It was after six o'clock and there was not many people in the cafeteria. House made an order for both of them and even paid himself. Cameron was still in some state of shock. She got used to see Chase sleeping peacefully, despite all his injuries, and she could pretend that nothing ever happened, that he would wake up and everything would be fine again. Now he woke up and was in pain and it made everything so real, she could deny it no longer.

"I wanted to talk to you."

She didn't even respond and was staring at her food, wondering how was she going to eat it.

"Did you see him after he was bailed out?" House wanted to start as far away from the main topic of his conversation as possible, hoping he would not loose his courage on the way. On the other hand he was genuinely interested, how Chase managed to hide the fact, that he was beaten and humiliated for three days, from Cameron.

She looked up at him, as if she didn't hear the question.

"Did you pick him up from jail?"

"No… He called me, said he's got a lot of stuff to do, and that Wilson would pick him up."

"Wilson?" House was amazed, he suspected that Wilson would tell him that Chase told him that Cameron would pick him up. Clever bastard!

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Have you seen him after that?"

"He didn't come home… He went to New York, he said, he had to meet some lawyer company and it would take several days, that there was no point to come back till he finished everything."

"And you believed him?"

"Why not? Why are you asking me all that?" Eventually Cameron started to pay some attention to House.

House smiled bitterly, "And when did he come back?"

"I don't remember, a week or two. Why, House?"

"And was he fine, when he came back?"

"Yes… Sort of, he was too busy trying to understand what was going on and what to do. I didn't want to get on the way. Why the hell do you ask me all this now?" She was getting angry.

House was silent for a moment and than blurted out, "They beat the shit out of him. They wanted him to rat me out, he refused. They tried to show him what it would be like for him in prison, if he would not testify against me. Considering his current condition, I presume, in those three days he went through a lot."

Cameron's expression changed, as that particular days played back in her mind. She remembered, when he came back, he slept in his t-shirt, he never did before. She asked him, he said he was cold. Fuck! How stupid she was! They even made love only in the dark, how the hell she didn't notice?

House could see her eyes were full again. He didn't want to make her cry, but he wanted to tell her the truth. She had to know, that it was his fault. But she was more occupied with her own guilt to notice his.

HHH

House quietly entered the room.

Chase wasn't sleeping; he lay there with his eyes closed. There was nothing to look at in his ICU room, almost like in his cell. He persuaded Cameron to get back to work, so it would somehow distract her from his problems. But still she spent nights in his room, Cuddy arranged for extra bed for her. Evenings with Cameron were too active for his liking, he wasn't strong enough, but he tried his best. She needed it, to feel that he was better, some talking about nothing, laughing, pretending that nothing had happened. He was ready to give her illusion, that everything was o.k. Now that it was obvious that she was pregnant, he was happy about it, but on the other hand he was scared. There wasn't much he could offer his kid at that moment. He wouldn't even be there when he would be born. Chase didn't have any illusions, he knew that he would have to go to prison to serve his sentence to the end, but there was a big chance, that he would not come out alive.

He heard House enter the room. He was too quiet, that was a bad sign, it meant he brought bad news. Otherwise he would just band into the room, making as much noise as possible and demanding full attention. Now he was quiet. Chase got used to receiving bad news, ever since he was a child. He didn't care if it was about his health or well being, both had been shattered to pieces lately. The only reason why he opened his eyes and looked at House was because he was afraid that it would be about Cameron. He worried about her too much. It's been a long time since he ever worried about someone. He was not able to change anything, to help her anyway. Sometimes he wished she would just go away and never be a part of his life anymore, that way he would be able to not to care.

House cursed silently, he wished Chase would give him more time, to come up with the right words.

"How do you feel?" he had to ask that stupid question.

"Fine," Chase was looking at him, he could as well ask House _What happened?_ They could communicate with each other without words recently.

"They contacted Cuddy," House decided to get down to business as well, "Wanted to know when we will discharge you, so they could take you back."

So the news was about him. He was ready for it; at least he tried to pretend that he was.

"Actually, we are not going to discharge you any time soon. In case you are interested to know." House finished his sentence with a hint of sarcasm. Chase was always compliant, too much for his liking, but now he became so accepting, as if everything what had happened to him was a natural thing. He hated to see what those bastards had done to his youngest duckling. They broke his spirit completely; he didn't want to fight anymore.

"I didn't save your life to send you back!" He was getting angry at the lack of response from Chase, he already knew exactly what the young man was thinking and he didn't like it at all.

Chase looked up at him, question was in his eyes. House could see, that there was not a hint of hope in young man's eyes and he hated it. More than that, Chase was annoyed, because he believed that they could do nothing to help him, so he didn't even see a point to talk about it. He still didn't utter a word, so House had to continue.

"I called Stacy. She said there is organization above police, above those "special agents" - Internal Affairs Bureau. Specifically designed for these kind of cases, when they exaggerate powers. We have to contact them, tell them your story and they won't send you back to that prison anymore. We have all examination information, when you were brought here, there is more than enough. Even if you were Osama Bin Ladan, that kind of things shouldn't happen to a human being."

Chase was silently looking at his hands. His wrists were still bandaged, he could easily imagine handcuffs, he became so quickly used to wear them all the time, back in prison. They would be back on his hands soon, he had to be ready for it, be ready for his small cell, for constant beatings, he wished House could give him some long lasting drug so he would not feel the pain. There wasn't such drug… Maybe they could arrange that surgery on his brain, the one they didn't let House make two years ago.

"Say something!" House had to shout to get his attention.

He looked up and asked quietly, "What do you want me to say?"

"What do you think about going to authorities?"

"I don't think it will help."

"And doing nothing will?" House couldn't believe his ears, the boy was really fucked up. "They will kill you the moment you get there, or maybe play with you a little more and then kill you! There is no way for you to get out of there if you get in! Do you understand this?"

"I know." Chase said softly.

"Then why? Why don't you want to do something? To try?" House couldn't sit anymore, he was too angry; he stood up and leaned at his cane at the foot of the bed. "I shouldn't have bothered to save you!" He regretted his words the moment they left his mouth.

Chase flinched; he slowly started to turn to his side, ignoring shooting pain from the various parts of his body. He buried his face in the pillow and felt his eyes filling with tears, he didn't want to cry, not now.

House gave up, anger had gone, maybe he shouldn't have pushed. He took a chair and dragged it to the side of the bed, so he could sit right in front of Chase.

"Give me your reason, please! If it will be convincing, I promise I will kill you myself and save you from pain and humiliation."

"So you want to kill me now?" Chase smiled softly, but to his own horror, he found House's words comforting and considered it as a way out.

"Just tell me why. I will try my best to understand, I promise, please."

House had to wait several minutes for Chase to speak.

"You don't know them… They can hurt you… and Cameron…"

House released an audible breath. So this is what it was all about!

"Chase, it doesn't work that way. The moment you appeal, everybody someway connected to you will be safe. That's the point! Hurting me or Cameron will just add a couple more years to their sentence. And they know it!"

Chase was silent; he brought his good hand to wipe tears from his eyes.

"And do you think, to rase a kid without a father will hurt her less?" House finished softly.

Chase closed his eyes. He was in no condition to make that decision now. House got up from his chair.

"All right, you need to rest. Just think about it, please. You still have time; you have to go through another surgery on Wednesday. It means you'll not be able to walk for another couple of weeks. But then keeping you here will be a problem. The sooner you'll come up with your decision, the easier it will be to do something."

With that he left. On his way out from ICU House stopped at the nurse station and ordered additional sedatives for Chase, he needed to rest, and made his way to Cameron to warn her not to bother him today too much.

Chase heard him leave, then he heard nurse quietly enter the room, and add something to his IV, he knew exactly what it was. He was thankful. House knew what was better for him even more than himself. He needed that drugged, dreamless sleep more than anything now.

_

* * *

A/N: If you didn't take my advice and read it, please review._


	4. House, Stacy, Chase, OCs, Cuddy, Foreman

_Many, many, many thanks to ChibiTomoyo for great beta!_

**_Warning:_**_ First part of this chapter contains graphic violence._

* * *

"When do you want me to come?" Stacy asked over the phone.

"Tomorrow."

"Is he awake?"

"He's usually drugged, he will be awake when you tell me you want him awake."

"Is he ready for this, I mean…"

"He has no choice. He better decide now, because he has surgery the day after tomorrow, and after that he'll be out for another week."

House was right, they needed time to prepare the appeal.

"Did you talk to him about it?"

"I did, he still doesn't understand many things. He thinks that if he sacrifices himself, all the others will be fine. I want you to tell him, that we will be fine, without him being crucified."

"But he's right, they could go as far as to hurt someone."

"Look, the only one who is hurt right now, is Chase! And you know perfectly well, that he will not come out alive if he goes to prison again!"

She couldn't tell him that she was worried about him, not Chase.

"Why don't you want his lawyer to tell him? Anyway he'll take this case farther."

"Look, he won't even talk to him. You know Chase, he will lie and pretend that everything' fine. Please, Stacy, you're the only one who could explain his options and make him understand."

"All right, I'll be there, but I won't make it till afternoon. I'll call you the moment I head to Princeton.'

"Fine, see you." he hung up.

He had to talk to her before she would get to Chase. She had to be convincing, because if she just show a hint of hesitation, Chase would retreat and end up in trouble.

HHH

_He was trying not to move, because the slightest movement was closing his air supply even more._

_How long has it been? Hour, two, three? Maybe half a day? He had no idea. The only thing he was aware of was that he couldn't stand it anymore._

_His hands were handcuffed behind his back and connected to restraints on his ankles. He was on his knees, unable to get up, unable to move. There was a rope around his neck. It wasn't as tight in the beginning, but when they started to hit him, he jerked, and now he had problems breathing, the air couldn't get through, there wasn't enough air. If he knew about the rope he would have tried to stay still, but he didn't, he was blindfolded before they brought him there. Where was he? He couldn't hear anything, last thing he heard was laughter, footsteps as they left and rattle of the locks as they closed the door behind them._

_This was unbearable. He wanted to fall, but it would just choke him, so he was trying to stay upright. His joints ached, he couldn't feel them anymore. His head was ready to explore and his stomach hurt. He tried to feel how many broken ribs he had, trying to diagnose himself. He was a doctor after all, that helped a little, distracted him for a while. But the diagnose wasn't encouraging, he wouldn't last long, he tried to imagine that he was examining someone else. Was he going crazy? Maybe he should just give up? Maybe it's his chance to end up that struggle._

_It was his chance! He blew it! Stupid coward, they gave him a chance and he didn't even try to end everything the right way._

_Pain was unbearable, tears streamed down his cheeks making their way through the dried blood on his _face._ Oh, God! It hurts!_

"Chase! Chase! Wake up! Wake up! You are safe, it's just a dream!"

_House could never be more wrong. It wasn't a dream, it was his memory. He could see House looming over him, but he was still in that room. He could remember when they came back, he was still kneeling, but couldn't even hear them. Then he felt cold water run over his head. He cried out from shock. The water was too cold. It bought back all the pain, which somehow was numbed before. He could hear them laughing, he couldn't take it anymore and fell. Rope cut his air supply, he didn't fall onto the ground, but wasn't able to get up either. His body was trying to get precious air, he was gasping for air, but in vain. Eventually they cut the rope, he fell to the concrete floor, still gasping and now coughing violently. It was wet and cool on the floor, eventually his senses started to come around. He heard a familiar voice and wished it was hallucination._

"_Dr. Chase, I have a news for you." He could hear the laughter in his voice. "You are not a doctor anymore, your license has been terminated, as well as your contract at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital."_

_Chase could feel his eyes watering even more, but this time not from physical pain._

"_Does he worth it? Are you sure about that?"_

_Harrington could see tears coming from under the blindfold. He was satisfied._

"_I'm leaving you here, Mr. Chase. I've got more important things to do, more criminals to catch, but you should know, that the moment you change your mind, I'll be here, always ready for justices to be done."_

_Chase tried to ignore what the man was saying, because it meant that he could stop it, he didn't even want to think that he had a choice. Instead he concentrated on breathing, he could breath, it felt good. He was lucky, wasn't he? He could breath._

"_Did you hear me Mr. Chase?"_

_He got the kick to his guts for not responding, he silently nodded his head._

"_Good," Chase couldn't see, but he was sure the bastard was smiling, "Now take him to the main block, cell 1047, tell them it's a present from me for their cooperation."_

Chase was breathing heavily, eyes closed. House tried to talk to him, but it was in vain, he waited, hoping Chase will come out of, what ever it was.

Stacy was standing silently, unable to move, watching in horror what was happening.

Chase was restless, his heartbeat was too fast for a sleeping man.

Eventually House injected something into IV and in several minutes Chase slowly opened his eyes.

He was disoriented, he was looking around with frightened eyes and still breathing heavily as if he just came from the run.

Stacy backed up a bit, maybe it was a bad idea after all, maybe he was not ready yet.

House, on the other hand, moved closer to bed, he couldn't miss the fact that Chase jerked away from him.

"Chase," House tone was gentle and soothing, "It's me, House. Everything is fine. Do you hear me?"

Chase blinked several times, then looked around the room. He spotted Stacey at the back, but didn't give it a second thought.

"Where is Cameron?" His voice was harsh from the sleep.

"She's fine, she's in the lab." House brought glass of water to his lips. He didn't even want to think about what made Chase to freak out like that and what was all that worrying about Cameron, he would have to find out. As far as he knew they were threatening only him, not her, but from Chase behavior it was obvious that she was on the line as well.

After Chase calmed down a little bit, House sat in his chair and motioned Stacy to come closer and sit as well.

"I brought Stacy here. I hope she will informed you better about all possibilities than I would."

"Hi," Chase managed softly, he didn't want that conversation, but he had no choice as always.

"Hi, Chase, nice to see you. You look better." Truth was, he wasn't looking better. The difference was he was awake, but she had to lie. "House gave me hell, when he was trying to see you in prison the last time, when they told Cameron that you were in coma. Good thing, that he managed to do it in time."

Chase felt guilty, he never thought how hard it was for House to get him out of jail, to do everything he could, to keep him alive. And here he was refusing to even try to help himself.

"Look, I'll just tell you the procedure we can take to free you and save everybody else from harm and make sure that bastards pay for their doings. Because believe me, what happened to you is totally illegal and shouldn't happen in the first place." It took her less then 30 minutes to explain to him what was their plan.

"Shall I have to testify?"

"Yes, there is no way without it. But you can keep some parts of the abuse to yourself, it's okay They have done so much that a small portion would be enough to take them down."

"But we don't have anything except the examination, and as for that was done here, they could say we had faked it."

"It's not only examination. House saw the papers, we'll try to find them as well."

"What papers?"

"The one's you didn't sign." House said without even looking at Chase.

"How?" He couldn't believe his ears.

"Warden."

"But why?" Chase couldn't understand.

"He didn't want the dead convict on his hands and decided to motivate me somehow."

"What else do you know?" Chase never asked House about anything, he thought that he knew nothing, but now he had his doubts.

"Not as much as you." He looked up at younger man, "It's not about me, Chase. Let's just get down to business, while Stacy is here."

Chase agreed to drop it for now, but he had a lot of questions for House to answer later.

"Look, if we don't do anything, things will get worse. They're already threatening to guard your room. You won't be able to see anyone, you'll be at their mercy again, and then the moment you open your eyes they'll take you back. And I have to agree with House that your chances of coming out alive are close to zero. You are evidence of their crime, as long as you live, you are a threat."

"Then why did they want House to save me?"

"They thought you would die here, under House's care and later they could accuse him of malpractice. The warden and the rest of them were just trying to cover their asses. But now, I'm afraid, they need you dead even more than before."

"How could they accuse House of malpractice?"

House hoped Chase would never found it out, he hated to give people evidence that he actually cared. But Stacy was glad to reveal that information.

"They made him sign that you were ill, not that you were beaten almost to death. That was the only condition to let him take you to the hospital."

Chase was still confused and didn't know what to do, but he was glad for that conversation, otherwise he would never learned how much House has done to save him.

HHH

House walked Stacy to Cuddy's office and came back. He found Chase staring blankly at the wall.

He made himself comfortable in his chair and took out his gameboy.

House was amazed how comfortable he could feel with Chase even if they both wouldn't utter a word for hours. Usually silence was strained, he would never be able to sit like this with Forman or Cameron, only Wilson, but not when the latter was in love, like he was now with Amber.

"I have a request..."

It took time for House to register that Chase was actually speaking. He looked up at him.

"Take me to the roof."

"You are not going to…" House tried to smile, but deep down he shivered.

"No... just a bit of fresh air."

He hasn't seen daylight in almost five months. His cell was windowless as well as the ICU room, the only chance for him to see a light was when he was taken to the main block, but usually it was in the night time.

House didn't move. Was the answer "no"? Does it mean that he wanted to say goodbye and head straight to prison?

"Please... You know, I can't make it myself..."

Still House didn't move.

"I just want to see the daylight... By the way, is it night or day now?"

House was surprised that Chase didn't even know what time of day it was.

"It's bright and shine... I usually sleep at night." He wanted to sound sarcastic, but failed. He slowly got up and started to remove all cords attached to Chase, the last was gone the IV.

"I hope, you won't collapse on me, I'm a cripple, you know." With that he headed out of the room, just to be back in minutes with wheelchair. He helped Chase stand up, who gathered all his strength to move a little and collapsed in the chair. He was panting heavily as if he ran a marathon.

"Are you all right?" House notices how pale Chase became in a matter of seconds.

"I'm fine," he nodded at the door, indicating that he was ready to move.

House was glad that they managed to reach the roof without meeting anyone who could ask questions, the worst would have been Cameron and Cuddy.

House pushed the door open with the wheelchair. Chase was blinded by the bright light and closed his eyes for a moment. House wheeled him to the rail, and stood by his side. From the corner of his eyes he was studying Chase.

He was taking deep breaths as if trying to clear his lungs and mind. Eventually he opened his eyes and stared to the bright sky above him and then to the horizon. From his sitting position he couldn't see much, he couldn't see people rushing in and out from the main entrance, couldn't see cars speeding away from the parking lot. But he didn't care, it was sun he wanted to see, just sun and the sky.

House was watching him carefully, he wished he knew what was on the young man's mind. Chase probably would have snapped at him before, but now he was too occupied to even notice his ex-boss staring at him.

Small smile appeared on his face, it was the first real smile, House witnessed in last six months. He did smile before, especially to Cameron, but it was fake, his face was smiling but the eyes were empty.

When the smile became the broad grin, House asked.

"What are you laughing at?"

Chase looked up at him, still smiling. "It's so beautiful! I forgot how beautiful it is!"

Was the answer "yes"? House was afraid to ask.

"Have you ever been camping, skiing, mountaineering?" Chase asked suddenly.

"Are you kidding?" He looked at his leg.

"You weren't born with it, I mean before?"

These young people, no respect for a crippled person, but that was one of the things he liked about Chase, from the moment he saw him, he really didn't care about House's disability, otherwise he was hiding it pretty well.

"No, I was never into sports. I did spend a week in one of the resorts in Maryland, when I was in Hopkins. But we mostly spent our time drinking and picking up girls, they look good in that tight skiing outfits, better without, but still. Nowdays you can't even tell a girl from the boy, they should mark their boards so guys wouldn't mix them up."

"The fact, that you can't tell one from the other, doesn't mean that they can't. But it's not my point. Don't you think it's beautiful up there?"

"I told you, I was looking for a different kind of beauty."

Chase smiled, he was happy to have conversation in no way concerning his current situation. It didn't happen often lately. He was remembering his younger years in school, he had a great biology teacher, he used to take them camping a lot. It was the best way to learn nature. Every summer he used to organize a trip to the Australian Alps. Chase didn't have time to go often, but when his mother died, he found it very comforting.

"You're right, too many people distract you. That's why I like to go alone. You would never see anything really cool unless you climb pretty high. It's like a drug, many people who never been there don't understand. But still it's a hard work to get to the top, or even near the top. So when you spent a couple of weeks in the cold, without proper food, dirty, smelly, with all that heavy ammunition, counting every step you make, your system of preferences shifts. And when you come back to civilization, piece of bread, or some junk food, even if you hated it before would feel like heaven!"

"So you decided to go to jail, to shift your system of preferences? So the glimpse of the sky or the sun would get you high?"

So here again House crushed all his attempts to get away from reality.

"Sometimes we take things for granted."

"The sky and the sun belongs to every living creature! Don't make a big deal from it! If they denied you even that, it doesn't mean you took it for granted before!"

"Why have you done so much to free me?"

"Why did you lie to save my ass?"

Chase smiled again, it wasn't easy to get an answer from House, but House wouldn't get one from him either.

"Just tell me "yes" or "no"?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"You have time till tomorrow morning. I won't let them operate on you till you give me your answer. And if it would be negative, then there is no reason to spend expensive surgeon's time on you."

Chase nodded, still smiling. He didn't know why, but he was in good spirit. He didn't know whether it was because he'd seen the sun or because he learned that House cared about him as much as he did about older man. He always knew it, but now House would not be able to deny it anymore.

HHH

House was watching GH on mute, not because he was worrying to wake up Chase, but he was thinking of the way to make Chase submit his appeal.

The morphine and the rush of adrenalin that Chase felt when he was exposed to the daylight wore off, the pain came back with new force. House cursed himself, he should have had a shot of morphine just incase. He could offer his vicodin, but it wasn't strong enough and it wasn't fast enough for Chase. When he brought him back into the room, Chase had almost passed out in the wheelchair. He wasn't ready to move around like that yet. Chase used all his will power to stay conscience, until House, with a little effort from his part, managed to settle him back into bed, and then he just went limp completely.

House was half through the episode, when he heard people arguing at the nurse station. He didn't even have time to analyze what exactly was happening when he saw three men in the black suits, backed up by six police officers at the glass door. He would have locked it, but he had no time.

Behind them he saw several nurses arguing, that they had no right to go in there. The nurses did love Chase.

One of the black suits eyed House and didn't even try to hide his smirk. House remembered him, it was the same guy who question him before the trial.

"I have an order to transfer Mr. Chase back to prison." He unfolded the paper in his hands to show House.

"The issue why **Dr.** Chase happened to be here is medical. And we still didn't resolve it yet, so unless we do it, he has to remain here, unless you want to see him dead."

"As far as I can see, he feels better, than the last time I saw him."

"You are not a doctor, and he doesn't feel better. We just managed to keep him alive."

"Good for you, now he has to come back. We could take care of him in infirmary." He motioned his men to approach Chase bed. House blocked their way with his cane.

"I'm sure you will." House answered with the smirk, "But if your "order" wasn't good enough for a local police, I doubt it'll be good enough for me."

Harrington motioned to his men to stop, cursing under his breath.

House took out his phone and dialed Stacy, "I need you in Chase room, now! Bring Cuddy and call police."

"We are the police! And we could charge you with resistance."

"That is why I called my lawyer. And you will not touch him, until Princeton Plainsboro police arrives." It was easy to spot, that accompanying police officers were from the different district.

"You are as smart, as I expected." Harrington came closer and uttered trough clenched teeth, "He already paid enough for your mistakes, if you keep resisting, I'll make sure he will pay even more."

House wanted to answer, but at that moment he saw Stacy and Cuddy at the door, along with Wilson and local security.  
"What's going on?" Cuddy asked, observing so many people in the small ICU room.

"I have an order to transfer prisoner back to the jail."

"I'm afraid it is impossible. Dr. Chase is scheduled for the surgery tomorrow. Without it he wouldn't even make it to the ambulance." Cuddy's tone was calm and professional as always.

"We need a second medical opinion, and we could get it in prison infirmary."

"You don't have enough facilities for a person in this condition."

"You don't know about our facilities."

"May I see your order?" Stacy asked, reaching her hand for the paper.

"And who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Chase and Dr. Houses lawyer." She had to lie, but she could cover paperwork later, on the other hand she used to represent Chase and House, so it wasn't that big lie.

He reluctantly showed her the paper. She could see, that warden made it clear that this order was useless. He didn't want to deal with murder in his own prison.

"I'm afraid, it is not enough to transfer a man in critical condition."

They were ready to argue more, when police arrived.

It was becoming too crowded and Cuddy advised that they should continue in her office.

"I have suspicion that Mr. Chase is faking sleeping!" Harrington was reluctant to leave the room.

"He's not sleeping! You moron! He's unconscious!" Stacy quickly grab House's hand to stop him from saying more and making it more complicated.

"If we come to the conclusion that you have to examine Dr. Chase, we could do it later, when we would come to some kind of agreement." Cuddy reasoned, trying to control her own emotions.

When they were leaving the ICU, Harrington motioned to one of his men to stay, so did Cuddy, leaving one of the security guards behind and in less then two minutes three doctors appeared at the glass wall to Chase room. New ducklings were summoned by House.

On their way to Cuddy's office, House grabbed Stacy's hand and whispered.

"Tell them, we already sent the petition."

"But…"

"Tell them, we did. I'll send Forman to lawyer's office, just call him to prepare the papers."

"I already did, but if Chase…"

"He will, he has no choice. They want to kill him. We need local police to guard his room, now. Can you do it?"

"I'll try."

He searched her eyes with his own, sharing his determination with her.

"Okay, I will."

"I always believed in you!"

HHH

"Foreman, I need your help! Drive to Chase's lawyer office right now, he'll give you some forms, sign them, copy Chase's signature as best as you can!"

"What? Are you crazy? You want me to fake his signature? Why?"

"Could you, please, once in the fucking lifetime, just do what I say?"

Foreman could hear so many emotions in House's voice, there was anger, fear, desperation and even a plea. But Foreman made his point.

"House, I don't want to end up like Chase."

"You're a fucking coward, aren't you? Ok, I'll send someone else!"

House turned around and walked away as quickly as he could.

Foreman was surprised that House didn't even try to manipulate him into doing it. There should be something really wrong.

"House, wait!" He caught up with him, but House didn't stop. "What's going on?"

"If you weren't so fucking absorbed with yourself, you would have noticed a couple of dozens policemen running around hospital, doing their best to take Chase back to jail!"

"So, how can it help?"

"It's appeal to Internal Affairs Bureau."

"And when will they find out that it's a fake?"

"It's not a fake!" They reached the elevators and House nervously pressed the button several times to go downstairs. "We were going to do it anyway. But if we don't show them that we already send it, he's finished. It will buy us time."

"And if I'll bring papers here, for him to sign?"

"I need local police to guard his room _now_, and if they will do it, they will guard it from both parties." House didn't want to voice the real reason, that Chase actually could refuse.

"It's illegal, House!" His boss sounded reasonable as always, but still he didn't want to get into trouble. He never liked Chase. He never thought that his former colleague would go that far to protect someone, especially House. He wondered if Chase would do the same to help him? Chase didn't bother to check cop's apartment, when he was deathly ill, he had to stab Cameron, so she would help him. He didn't owe him anything. He did his best, he tried to stop Chase, he told him it was dangerous.

The moment elevator doors opened, House interrupted his thoughts.

"Don't waste my time, Foreman. Do it, or I'll find someone else."

Foreman hesitated a second, then shook his head and whispered, "I'm sorry, House."

He would never forget the glare House gave him. Maybe he should do it? But before he could reconsider his decision, House was gone.

Foreman was staring at the closed doors. Did it make him a bad person? He was just trying to do everything right.

He heard familiar feminine voice crying and another familiar man's voice calming her.

"You can't go there! They won't let you in!" Wilson stopped her, by holding her forearms. "Cameron! Please, listen to me!" He was searching for her eyes. "There is nothing you can do, nothing I can do! The lawyers will take care of it!"

"Last time they took care of it and he ended up in jail!"

"You know, it's different now!"

"How so? The only difference is that he was healthy then and now he is barely alive!"

"House's there, he won't let them hurt Chase anymore."

Wilson's words fulfilled his intention. Cameron shoulders slumped, and the next thing he knew, he was holding weeping Cameron in his arms.

"I just want to see him." She whispered between sobs.

"He's sleeping, let's go to my office." He guided her into the right direction.

None of the two noticed that Foreman was watching them.

House didn't have anyone else to ask to break the law. His best choice was currently lying unconscious, his second best choice was busy. And frankly Foreman would rather risk his job and career then be with Cameron in that room now.

_A/N: Native-speakers, please! I don't really care what you think about the story (I know it's not special), but I will really appreciate the feedback about my English language. Does it sound right, or is it hard to read?_


	5. House, Cuddy, OCs, Chase

_Betaed by ChibiTomoyo! Thank you very, very, much!_

* * *

The tension radiating from the office of dean the of medicine was hard to miss. Passing by people were stopping to stare through the glass doors at the arguing people inside. More police officers were coming and going, nurses at the reception area noted that right now policemen in the hospital outnumbered them.

It was after 6 p.m., clinic was already closed, but storm in Cuddy's office was far away from resolving.

As much as many of the doctors and nurses wanted to stay to see what would happen, Cuddy made sure that all personal who was not on duty had to leave.

Eventually Foreman arrived along with the lawyer and two other people. They were detectives from the Internal Affairs Bureau.

Harrington's face fell, when he spotted them, he didn't expect that they would be so quick.

Detectives weren't happy to be there at that hour, either. Their job usually didn't require working over-hours. The first thing they did, after observing so many people, was to let go all, who wasn't directly involved in the case, but only after their names along with badge numbers were listed.

It left nine people in the room: the detectives themselves, Cuddy, Stacy, House, Chase's lawyer, Harrington and his two peers.

House was silently observing two men, who now made themselves comfortable in the armchairs in front of Cuddy's desk. One of them was around 35 years old, too young to be a detective in that prestigious department, another was in his late forties. He was doing all talking and it was obvious that he was in charge. He took his time studding Chase's file, regardless of all the people waiting for him to say something. Detectives were trained to treat everybody as a suspect and never take sides, and that was exactly what they were doing now.

Eventually he closed the file and looked at everybody in the room one by one.

"I don't really see, why you made it so urgent. I don't see anything that couldn't wait."

"They were going to transfer a person in critical condition!" Cuddy was tired and irritated by the man's indifference.

"Did you?" He looked at Harrington.

"I had an order."

"Couldn't it wait?"

"It's been two weeks, since he's here. They should have treated whatever he had!"

"You can't treat a person with almost all bones broken in two weeks!" House who managed to maintain his composure the whole time, was losing it now.

"And you are Dr...?" He couldn't even remember his name, or that was his strategy to irritate everyone and see who would blow up first.

"House. My name is Dr. House, I'm Dr. Chase's attending physician."

Then detective looked through the notes the police officers left him, then he slowly got up from his chair and said.

"All right, I think it's time we visit Mr... " He deliberately searched the name on the file, "Chase."

HHH

Chase woke up to find himself alone in the room, he got used to find House there and now without him it felt strange. At first, he didn't notice that his door was closed, but the blinds were open. Only then he saw policeman and security guard at the door, also he spotted House's new ducklings at the nurse station. They nodded to him, when they saw him awake, he didn't know what that meant, but if they couldn't come in, it wasn't good.

So House was right, they got him here too. How long did he have, before they would transfer him?

He closed his eyes hoping to go back to sleep again, but couldn't. He wondered where was Cameron, where was House. New ducklings at his door meant, that House was fighting for him, it made him smile, never in his wildest dreams he could imagine this happening. But House did fight for him once, after he killed Kayla, but that was out of guilt. Was he doing this out of guilt too?

He could hear the clicking sound of Cuddy's shoes long before he saw several people at his door. Two of them he didn't know, and three of them made him shiver inside.

Chase reaction after he saw Harrington and the other two didn't go unnoticed by House and the detective. The young man was terrified to see them, though he tried his best not to show it.

He expected them to come in, wondering how they were going to fit into his small room, but they didn't. Instead one of the unknown to him people said something to the rest and eventually two of them and his lawyer stepped inside.

"Hello, I'm detective Fraser, and this is detective Sears. We're here to investigate your appeal."

"We've sent it today." Lawyer hoped that Chase would not ask any questions, otherwise he would have to blame it to his client's poor memory.

But Chase didn't ask questions, through the whole ordeal he learned, that the best thing was to keep his mouth shut. He could hear the questions they were asking, but he couldn't comprehend, he knew it was time for him to open up, to tell the truth, but he wasn't sure if it would be right. The blinds were open and moved to the side, he felt himself exposed to everyone's mercy. He tried to block out the presence of Harrington, what would happen if he told them? Would Cameron and House be safe? The detective was talking to him, he wished they would leave him alone, he couldn't concentrate on the answers, he had to talk to House first. He looked up at him, House nodded. What did it mean? Can he tell them the truth? Was he ready to do it? Would he be ever ready?

"Chase, they can't wait forever. If you can't do it now, we could come tomorrow, but the sooner they get your statement, the better." Eventually lawyer's words registered by his brain.

"No," he didn't want to postpone it, he had to do it anyway. He felt three pairs of eyes staring at him, waiting for him to clarify his "no".

"I can do it now."

_Chase was trembling with rage. Did this guy just hit him? What the hell? Why did everybody think, that they could hit him and get away with it? He wasn't going to leave it like this, he would make them pay. But before his thoughts went any farther, he received several more blows to his midsection. Pain started to penetrate into his brain, he couldn't think clearly now, the rest of the two hours went in a blur, and in the end he just passed out completely._

_Chase was trying to proceed what just happened to him. This was not happening, it was impossible. Did those people really expect him to rat House out for exchange of his freedom? But he didn't do anything that could land him in jail in the first place. That necklace was a set up, it was obvious! They were not serious, or were they?_

_He didn't expect to be beaten, he didn't even have time to react, he was just dumbfounded. Everything happened so quickly and the next thing he knew he was lying unconscious in this dirty dark cell. Maybe they were just trying to frighten him and then let him go?_

_He's got so many questions and no answers. They didn't even let him see his lawyer, it was illegal wasn't it?_

_He was so occupied with his thoughts that he didn't even pay attention to his hurting chest. Couple of ribs were broken or cracked, but he noticed that they didn't touch his face._

_He heard people talking in the hall, and then heard the lock on his door being open. He decided to fake his sleep._

"_So who the hell is he?" The angry voice asked._

"_He's Dr. House's former employee, Sir. He's the one who broke into your house."_

"_So why did you bring me here? To show that you're actually doing something? You can arrest the half of that fucking hospital, I don't care! But only one of them killed my son and he still isn't here!"_

"_We couldn't find anything on him, Sir. But this guy could lead us to him. He doesn't understand how serious his situation is, but I think, when he'll get it, he'll be more cooperative."_

"_Listen! I don't care how you're going to do it, but I want that piece of shit to rot in jail for the rest of his life! Did you get it? And don't get me involved, just do what I say!"_

"_Yes, sir."_

_Then he heard them leave. What the hell was that about?_

_In half an hour one of them came back. He turned the lights on._

"_Come on, get up! I know you're awake."_

_Chase opened his eyes to see the man who interrogated him before, standing above him. Harrington offered him a hand. Chase used it to get up from the floor, sharp pain shot through his chest from the movement._

"_Sit down."_

_Chase complied, he saw several papers spread on the table._

"_OK, just sign here, and you can go home."_

_Chase looked at him surprised. Then picked up the paper to read, but Harrington ripped it from his hands._

"_No, you can sign, but not read."_

"_I'm not going to sign anything without my lawyer, and without reading it."_

"_So you want it hard way, don't you?"_

"_Look, there is no hard way, or easy way. I just want to see my lawyer, I have the right..."_

"_You have no fucking rights! You lost them when you were stupid enough to break into Mr. Morrow's house! So now, I'm trying to do you a favor, and if you won't listen to me, you'll end up in much more trouble then you are already!"_

"_I don't understand, why I can't see my lawyer?"_

"_Because you can't!" Harrington put both hands on the table and stared at Chase until he was sure that he got his full attention. "Here's the deal, you sign and later testify against your friend Dr. House and go home. Or we proceed with all charges, you end up in jail and I'll make sure, that you wish you weren't been born. Do you know what they do to a pretty boys like you?"_

"_I want to see my lawyer." Chase said stubbornly._

"_Ok." He nodded, collected the papers and left. Chase heard the faint click from the corridor and his room became dark again._

_In less then fifteen minutes three men entered his room, he didn't even have time to get used to the light that they turned on, when he was already blindfolded and handcuffed. They started to hit him again, this time it was much more painful, they were hitting his already injured chest. Several times consciousness left him, but they wanted him to be awake for whatever they were doing, so they were waiting for him to come around, so they could continue. Chase was surprised to learn, that it was possible to inflict so much pain to a human body without making permanent damage or leaving too many bruises. But what they have done to him caused the opposite effect, now Chase was determinate not to give them what they wanted._

_On the third day they let him go, with burglary charges and warning that if he tell a soul, Dr. House would be dead._

_So basically his choice was either he go to prison or House._

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lawyer couldn't hide his astonishment.

"They threatened to kill him." Chase was exhausted and he didn't even tell the quarter of what he had to tell them. He closed his eyes and slide down from the semi-sitting position he was in, he tried to curl up on his side, but pain prevented him from making any more movements, maybe now they would leave him alone.

"They threatened to kill Dr. House if you went to authorities?" Fraser had to define the situation to be more precisely.

Chase nodded and whispered "yes". He wasn't able to continue this conversation, his head throbbed, he needed to go to sleep, or he would pass out again.

They could see young man's grimace in pain and attempt to shift his position.

"I think, that's it for now, but we will come tomorrow with more questions."

HHH

House wished he could be inside that room now, but he couldn't. He was worrying Chase would do his stupid heroic thing again and say nothing.

He was watching them carefully through the glass walls. Why didn't they close the blinds? In the beginning it was mainly the detective talking, Chase was just staring blankly, sometimes lawyer would say something and then there was awkward silence. Suddenly Chase looked directly at him, as if asking was it all right for him to speak. House nodded, indicating that everything would be fine.

That was all Chase needed, and then he was the only one, who was talking. Detective didn't want to interrupt him, so he kept quiet, writing down questions he would ask later.

They were talking for almost two hours. House could see that Chase was very tired, if the detective wouldn't stop, House would have burst into the room.

Fraser stood up. His expression was much more serious now, he took out his cell phone and made several calls.

Chase closed his eyes, single tear tracked down his cheek. Older detective gently patted his hand, before he left the room.

He went straight to Harrington and said barely above the whisper, so nobody else would listen.

"If I were you, I would find myself a good lawyer."

"I want a second medical opinion," Harrington said, trying to sound unaffected.

"I already made a call to PG and our medical expert, but I don't think that results will be in your favor. The boy had been severely beaten and it didn't happen only in the last couple of weeks."

The stare the FBI agent gave him, would have frighten many people, but the detective paid no attention and moved to talk to Cuddy.

"Dr. Chase room will be guarded 24 hours a day, I need you to give me all the names along with photographs of the personal who have to have access to him. Make the list as short as possible. I have summoned several police officers , they will be here shortly, and I want your and your stuff full cooperation. Detective Sears will stay here until they will arrive."

Cuddy nodded and then asked, "Dr. Chase scheduled for a surgery tomorrow?"

"Can it wait?" Though it was Cuddy who asked the question, he decided to speak to House.

"Maybe two or three days, but no more."

Fraser nodded, "I just need one day, for full examination and final statement, so I can press charges."

"But we already did the full examination." House didn't want to subject Chase to another humiliating procedure.

"It won't do in court. He worked here, they will dismiss it as evidence. I know it will be hard for him, but that's the procedure."

"Did he give his consent?"

"I'm afraid, he doesn't have a choice."

"What did he say?"

Fraser smiled sadly, "I'm afraid, I can't tell you."

"I know much more, than you think!"

"Then maybe, I should ask you the same question?"

"Did he say, that he was just covering my ass?"

"Not in exact words, but yes, he did."

"You won't send him back there, will you?"

"I think, I made myself clear."

"No, you said, you'll guard his room. What I'm trying to point out that his room has to be guarded from those bloody FBI agents!"

"I got your point, Dr. House. And I can understand your worrying about him, the kid did save your _ass_." Considering that he said everything he had to say, he motioned to his partner to stay and went to the exit.

* * *

_A/N: Feedback is highly appreciated!_

_I couldn't thank Sarah for the review, but it meant a lot to me :)_


	6. House, Chase, OC

* * *

_Many, many, many thanks to the beta-reader of this chapter - ChibiTomoyo !!!_

* * *

_One month later_

House woke up to strange sounds coming from his bedroom. He waited several minutes, but it didn't stop. He slowly sat up on the couch. He hopped to the door, but stopped before opening, maybe Chase was awake and wanted to be alone. He listened more carefully, it wasn't constant crying, it was more like hiccups, sometime loud, sometimes he couldn't even hear anything.

He slowly opened the door. He wasn't ready for the scene before him. Chase was lying flat on his stomach, head turned to the door, hands gripping tightly to the sheets. With every cry he was gripping the sheets tighter, grimacing in pain, then relaxing for a second and then he repeated the process. It was obvious he was trying not to cry, biting on his lips, but sometimes pain was unbearable and he would cry out loudly.

The image from the photograph came back, Chase chained to the table with the bloody back.

He carefully kneeled at the top of the bed to be face to face with Chase. The young man was drenched in sweat, you could read emotions and pain on his face even though his eyes were closed shut.

"Chase..." House whispered afraid to frighten him even more. "Wake up, Chase, it's just the dream..."

Through the whole ordeal House managed to keep his emotions mostly to himself. But now when everything was almost over and Chase was healed at least physically, he felt all what happened was taking its toll on him.

He had to bring Chase to his home, because they decided to send Cameron away to her parents until the trial would be over and Chase asked House to keep her there as long as possible, until he would be ready. If he would _ever _be ready, House thought, but still he did as he was told.

"Wake up... please..." He could feel his hands were starting to shake, he couldn't break down now, when Chase needed him! But his mind had other plans, he could feel tears in his eyes, he couldn't hold them anymore. He hated the fact that someone was so loyal to him that he was ready to give up his own life for him! And to add to his guilt, that it was actually Chase, the guy who had the hardest time from him? Why? Was he so fucked up by his parents that House was so much better? Why give up his life, career, girlfriend? For what? A worthless cripple? A lonely, egomaniac, worthless cripple?! He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs for unfairness of the fate! He didn't need anyone to sacrifice anything for him, all his life he managed to push people away, but this fucked up Australian kid kept coming back! Why didn't he settle somewhere else, when he got fired? Why did he have to come back? He would have been fine now and not so broken emotionally and physically. He thought about Cameron, did she love Chase or he just happened to be at the top of her list for damaged people? Chase didn't even want her around anymore, and in two months she would need him, his son would need him! Maybe the baby would help him, or push him away from her completely.

Now House was faced with much more information about Chase's case and he knew that he didn't push too hard. He always pushed Chase to the limit, but not then, why? Maybe because pushing Chase meant trouble for him, he didn't want to believe that was the reason. He shouldn't care for himself that much.

"_Tell them."_

"_There is nothing to tell, House."_

"_Tell them, I've sent you."_

"_It won't change anything. I'm still the one who did it. I'm not a child, you can't take responsibility for my actions."_

"_Just tell them or I will."_

"_House, it's pointless! There is no reason to drag you into this. It won't help me at all!"_

"_Ok, let it be me again, I'm the only one who can say the truth in this fucking world."_

_Chase rolled his eyes in irritation. "House, I'm not going to jail, no matter what! I'm not a thief and everybody knows it! It will be like your case with that bastard Tritter, everything will be fine, the judges are not stupid."_

"_Then what's your problem? According to you I won't go to jail either." House's logic was as perfect as always._

"_Just in case... if something goes wrong."_

"_That's exactly why you should TELL THE TRUTH!"_

_Chase was desperately thinking what could get House off his back, but couldn't so he whispered instead,  
"Okay, I'll do it."_

_He got up to leave, House words caught him at the door._

"_If you don't, I'll do it myself."_

The apologetic look Chase gave House the moment the judge announced the ruling gave away everything. The boy knew it from the very beginning, he wasn't surprised, he wasn't even disappointed, he was ready to take it.

House was so occupied with his thoughts, he didn't notice that Chase was looking at him.

Chase slowly woke up to find House's face inches from his own.

"House... are you crying?" He asked softly.

House quickly wiped his eyes and tried to smile, but instead he grimaced as a new wave of tears sprang to his eyes. He sat leaning at the wall and covered his face with his hands.

Chase was confused. He never saw House cry, he didn't even know how to react. He was still shaken by his flashback, but now he was trying to concentrate on House.

"Has anything happen?"

House just shook his head.

"Then why are you crying?"

House didn't know the answer, why was he crying? Because it was fucking unfair! Everything was so fucking unfair!

"Why did you do it?" He asked instead.

"Did what?" Chase was even more confused.

"They were killing you, Chase! But still you've chosen to keep your mouth shut."

It took Chase several minutes to come up with his answer. He slowly turned to his side, rearranged his pillow and made himself comfortable, resting his head on his hand.

"I pretended that I didn't have a choice."

"But, you did."

"No, I didn't. I was fucked either way." House was looking at him, waiting for his explanation. "If I would have testified against you, I would lose my job, lose Cameron, all friends I ever had."

"I would have understood."

"No, you wouldn't."

Chase was right. _Even if_ House had forgiven him, all the rest would give him hell. That wasn't fair. Everybody treated House as a jerk, because he behaved as a jerk, but they were treating Chase the same way, though he didn't deserve it. Chase was accused of being rich, good looking, things he has got nothing to do with. He couldn't make himself more ugly, and he wasn't rich. He wasn't lazy, he wasn't uncaring as everybody thought, he wasn't even a kiss ass. Then why people treated him that way?

"This wasn't your reason for not ratting me out. It wasn't because of what I or Cuddy or Wilson or Cameron would do. You care about me."

It didn't matter how much Chase wanted to give House the same speech as he did about his father, he couldn't. He couldn't pretend, that he didn't care.

"Just like you cared about your father." House finished what he was going to say and leaned back at the wall.

For quite a long time the only sound in the room was breathing of both men.

"Wasn't there a single moment when you would just think: Fuck it!" House was looking at Chase indicating that he would not step back without his answers tonight. Every time when he was witnessing a flashback, he was trying to imagine what exactly Chase had to go though. During the trial he learned even more about what was done to his young friend. He just couldn't understand, why Chase didn't give in.

"Once..." Chase started quietly, unsure whether he should tell him anything. "In the beginning... It was just... there was no end. They didn't give me a single break... There was a moment I couldn't take it anymore and if they would just stop and asked me at that point... I think I would have... I would have done it... but they just kept going and suddenly I just... I kind of got used to it... like it was okay."

"But it wasn't, Chase."

"The fact, that I was actually spending more and more time unconscious, helped." He smiled softly, he didn't want House to feel guilty. He didn't want him to be concerned about him. Because if most people pretended to care, House didn't pretend, all his feelings were real, maybe just like his own were.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have understood! Together we could do something! Why?!"

Chase looked away, he didn't know what to say. He didn't know, what House wanted to hear, but he wished he knew, it could have helped him to end this conversation somehow.

"Why were you willing to give up your life for me?!" House couldn't stop himself. Deep down he knew that it wasn't the best time to push Chase, but he was too selfish right now, and he was afraid that he would never be able to ask him again.

"You know, why I did it." Chase whispered eventually.

Yes, he knew it, he actually just said it, but he wanted to hear it from Chase.

"Was it worth it?"

"You tell me."

He could hear hurt in Chase voice.

"I don't think that I'm worth it."

"You're underestimating yourself..."

"No! It's you who is underestimating yourself! I tried so hard to teach you to be independent, to be your own judge! And not depend on other people's hopes and wishes! And what do you do instead? Cover up your ex-boss' ass, get tortured and almost killed for someone who's been nothing more than a jerk to you! For god's sake, why?!"

When Chase didn't answer, he continued. "And don't tell me it's all about guilt! A guilt over something you've done years ago and proved nothing but loyalty since then! It can't be only about guilt! And even if you care about me so much, it shouldn't be enough to sacrifice yourself! I'm not your father or mother..."

"No, you're not," Chase interrupted him, and House was waiting for him to continue. "You're much better. Nobody treated me better than you did."

"Don't tell me that! It can't be true, it's not possible!"

"Nobody was ever as honest with me as you were, actually you are honest with everybody. It's just that not everybody is ready for it. But that was all I was looking for, when I came here. I was fed up with people pretending to care about me... nobody did... And you at least said so..."

"Didn't she love you even a little bit?"

It took Chase a long time to answer. "Maybe she did, maybe I was just too small to remember, but... I didn't feel it... Sometimes I thought I would never be able to love anyone. You can't love if you've never been loved... That's why I don't want any children..."

House was shocked, Chase was wonderful with kids, even better than Cameron.

"Too bad... Soon you're going to be a father."

"She didn't even ask me if I wanted a kid!"

House could hear anger and frustration in his voice.

"She thought that she might never see you again..."

"It's not an excuse! What the hell am I going to do now?! I don't want her, I don't want any kids, I want everybody to leave me alone!"

House was surprised that their conversation turned that way, but he was glad, if Chase was ready to talk, he was ready to listen.

"Then why did you marry her?"

Chase didn't answer and House continued.

"You knew you were not coming back alive, didn't you? You knew it from the very beginning. That's why you married her, it wasn't a big deal, if you wouldn't even live with her for more than a week?"

Chase was silent.

"You knew that there was no way they would let you go after that, because you were proof, evidence of their crime. Then what's wrong with her having your baby? She loves you..."

Chase glared at him, "No, she doesn't. She _thinks _she loves me, but the moment I stand on my feet again, she will change. And I don't want to be damaged all my life, just to keep her interested!"

"Chase, you love her too! You were after her for so long, and now she's here, your wife, pregnant with your kid and you suddenly don't want her? Maybe it's you, who only love people who are rejecting you? Maybe that's why you like me?"

Chase ignored the last question and said, "I just want her to treat me like she used to... before all that..."

"And what's the difference?"

"She feels sorry for me now... I hate it."

"Now, you know, how I feel." House smiled.

"I never pitied you."

"I know," It was one of the reasons, why House liked him, he treated him as equal, not as disabled. "Then why don't you tell her?"

Chase took a deep breath and tried to explain. "When we had our "just sex" relationship, I mean "our lack of a relationship", as she pointed out... It wasn't just sex, you know, it couldn't be! People don't just have sex, spend fucking 24 hours a day together and feel nothing!"

House nodded that he understood and to Chase to continue.

"I mean, she knew it wasn't just sex, but didn't want to acknowledge it. The moment I wanted to call it what it was, she dumped me!"

House didn't get his point.

"She'll deny anything I say, because she thinks she does nothing wrong. She doesn't feel that she's over caring. If I ever tell her, she would be all offended and crying." After pause he added, "I don't want to hurt her..."

"Which means you love her, and there is no reason to keep her away."

Chase buried his head in the pillow, House was right, he loved her, but how he was going to live with her, take care of her, when he could just freak out over something or just frighten her with his nightmares.

"They'll go away. They are not going to haunt you forever."

How the hell House knew what he was thinking?

"I made a mistake... after infarction, pushing people away. They were just trying to help, not pity me as I was thinking, as_ you_ are thinking now, by the way. What I did was a coward way out, instead of facing them, I ran away." Then with a smile he added. "I don't think you want to spend the rest of your life with me and Wilson. And I'm not going to let you sleep on my bed forever, and the couch belongs to Wilson, so..."

"I can't control it... " Chase blurted suddenly, "The flashbacks are coming and going as they please... "

"Chase, it is normal to think about what you have been through, to replay it in your mind, but it will go away, you just need to let it go. And you have to start to speak with someone about it. It could be a shrink or ... I don't know... you can talk to me, I'd rather you talk to Wilson, but if you need to say something you can talk to me."

Chase was amazed. House offering help, that doesn't happen often. But he shouldn't be surprised, he already had done so much for him. Chase didn't say anything. He slowly got up, used bathroom and came back to bed.

"Want to grab a bite of something?" It was a middle of the night, but Chase was so thin, that House was ready to offer him food any time of the day.

"No, I better go to sleep."

"Okay, call me, if you need anything."

--- --- ---

Despite the sleepless night, House woke up early. He checked on Chase when he was going to work, but he was still sleeping, so he just left.

A lot changed since Chase's incarceration, he wasn't interested in any cases, his team was solving most of them without his help. He lost his drive, as if he didn't care, as if he still hadn't solve his last case, so he couldn't move on. Foreman should have been pleased, now he was really in charge of everything. It was a twist of fate that he had to thank Chase for that opportunity.

He was distracted from his thoughts when a young girl knocked on his door. House looked her up, she was nice and beautiful, there was no reason not to let her in, so he nodded, she came in but still hesitated.

"Have a seat."

She sat carefully on the edge of the chair. She was looking around, but afraid to look him in the eyes.

"How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Dr. Chase."

"I think, you went to the wrong department. I know, it's much harder to get into the surgical department, but that's the place you should look."

She didn't answer and didn't move.

"A lot of people are looking for him now, and he's not here. What do you want?"

Maybe she was from the press, but House dismissed it, she was too shy to work there.

"I just need to talk to him... It is a private matter."

It was the first time she looked at him. There was something with her eyes, something so familiar, the way she was looking, as if he had met her before.

"Do I know you?"

She shook her head.

"Does Dr. Chase know you?"

"No... but we've met."

"Do you think, he wants to meet you again?"

"I don't know." It was a honest answer. She looked at him again.

He couldn't think what it was, she wasn't frightened, but there was a deep grief in her eyes, as if she buried the most important person in her life recently.

"Look, you can tell me what you want, I'll tell him and if he wouldn't mind, then you can meet him."

"It's a private matter..."

"He's got nothing private in his life anymore!" House was getting annoyed.

"I know, but I have."

It was getting interesting.

"I can't just let you meet him, just because you want to! Even his wife doesn't get past me!"

"Dr. Cuddy told me..."

"Cuddy sent you?"

She nodded, "I was looking for Dr. Chase. Dr. Cuddy said I need to speak to you first."

He could feel that there was no threat in that girl, but he couldn't let her have her way, just because he liked her.

"He's been through a lot and doesn't need more problems than he has already. Tell me what you want and we'll see."

"How is he?" She asked suddenly, he could tell that she was genuinely concerned.

"Alive." He was studding her, now she was on the verge of tears. "How did you meet him?"

She was silent.

"Are you his former patient?"

She nodded. House didn't remember her as his patient, so he asked.

"He treated you in Clinic?"

She shook her head.

"Operated you?"

Again "no". What the hell? Maybe she was from Australia, but no, she has no accent.

"Look, you have to tell me something, so I can identify you to him, so he could decide whether he wants to meet you or not. What's your name?"

"He doesn't know my name..."

It was getting more and more interesting.

"Okay, can _I_ know your name?"

"Heather."

"Good, that's a start." He would laugh, if it wasn't so sad. "Now tell me, why you want to meet Dr. Chase?"

"To thank him."

"For what? He saved your life?"

She nodded.

"It's his job, he does it all the time, he doesn't need everyone to thank him. And how does it happen that he saved your life, but doesn't know your name?"

"I was unconscious."

"Was there anyone around, who could have known your name?"

She shook her head. All that conversation reminded him communication with dumb people, where you had to make guesses and they were just saying yes or no.

"And as far as I understand, you didn't know his name either, until you saw him on the news. But if you saw him, it means you were not unconscious."

She didn't want him to think that she was lying. "I was, in the beginning, and then he helped me, I could see him but then..."

"What happened then?"

"He had to go."

"_He had to go?_ What does it mean _He had to go_? Didn't he call the ambulance to make sure everything was okay with you? He has to monitor his patients, it's his job. He can't just save someone and disappear."

"He had to go..." She repeated.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you are his sister! The way you keep avoiding telling the truth. Look, I'm here to help him. I don't know you, I don't think you can do him any harm, but why don't you tell me everything."

She never told anyone before, and today House was going to be the first person to hear her story. But if that was the only way to see the man, she didn't mind.

_A/N: Many thanks to **sfchemist** for corrections!_


	7. Chase, OCs, House, Wilson, Cuddy

_Chase could hear echo of the footsteps in the empty corridor. He wished they were not after him. _

_He cursed, when he heard the rattle of keys in his lock, and tried to make himself as small as possible, as if it could help._

_There were three of them. One of them tied the black piece of fabric firmly around his eyes, blackening his vision._

"_You coming with us!" Chase recognized the voice of the senior guard._

_They lift him up and dragged somewhere. He could tell that they were in hurry, it was strange, usually they had all the time in the world, when it came to torture him._

_By the smooth surface and the lack of oxygen he could tell that he was put in the boot of the car. Where the hell were they taking him? The ride wasn't far, then he could feel concrete under his bare feet, hear the door unlock._

"_Hurry up, the bitch doesn't look good!"_

_The rest of his way was almost as if he flew, they lifted him between them and carried upstairs. Suddenly he could see again._

_It took several seconds to adjust to the dim light in the room. He could see five men in the room, three of which he knew perfectly well, they were guards from the solitary section. They were in the bedroom, then he saw that there was someone on the bed and everything around the body was covered in blood._

_One of the guards pushed him forward._

"_Come on, doc! Do your damned job! We need her alive and kicking, so move!"_

_He approached the bed. It was a girl, she was lying flat on her stomach, head was turned to the door, her tangled blond hair covered most of her face, but he could still see bruises under them, her clothes were torn and blooded. It wasn't hard to understand what exactly had happened._

"_She cut herself." Said one of the other men, indicating the big gash on her back. There was no way anyone could cut himself like that, but Chase didn't ask. She was loosing blood and if he would not do anything about it now, she would bleed to death soon. _

_He hold up his cuffed hands. They hesitated, but then released his hands._

"_I need bandages, alcohol and clean cloth. And I need to wash my hands." _

_They took him to the bathroom. By the time he came back everything was laid on the bed._

_It was obvious, that they were nervous. They were ready to rape, but not to kill, he wandered was there really a big difference. She was barely 17 years old. _

_After carefully examining the wound, he said._

"_Give me pen and paper. The cut needs stitches and she lost quite a bit of blood, I'll list everything I'll need. Some stuff you'll be able to buy in the pharmacy, some get in any ER, show your badges or something." The last bit he said with disgust, knowing that right now he could get away with anything, though later he knew they would make it up for that. But they would do it anyway, so he could at least get some satisfaction now. _

_While they went for supplies, he managed to stop the bleeding and started to examine the girl further. One of the officers protested, but then decided that it would not harm if he just looked. He found several small cuts around her neck, which didn't need stitches, and there was nothing he could do for the numerous bruises on her body. Nothing appeared to be broken, but still he had to examine her chest when he would turn her over. _

_They were back quite quickly, he suspected they didn't bother with pharmacy and took everything from the nearest ER._

_It took him 20 minutes to stitch and another 30 to clean her up and disinfect. He gently turned her over and looked for broken ribs, there weren't any so he finished with her face and started to prepare the needles._

"_What the hell are you doing?!" One of the guards growled at him._

"_She needs blood transfusion."_

"_And who's going to be a donor?" He asked sarcastically._

"_I'm universal," Chase explained._

"_I don't care what you are, your ass belongs to us and your blood either!"_

"_She needs it, she'll be dead without it. Or take her to the hospital!"_

_That was the end of the argument, they couldn't take her to hospital. _

_"Let him do it, we can patch him up later, but not her." Said the senior guard._

_It was a slow process. Chase was trying to relax and block away the tension coming from the men surrounding him. From time to time one of them would loose it, coming angrily to his direction, demanding why she still didn't wake up and telling him what a useless doctor he was if he couldn't make her better, but tempered man would be stopped by the others, letting Chase finish whatever he was doing. _

_Eventually the girl started to stir and opened her eyes. She tried to jerk away, but one of the men hold her tight as Chase instructed him earlier. He got up slowly from his chair, he wished he could move faster, but felt too dizzy for that, after removing the needle, he put bandage around her hand. He could see panic in her eyes, she wanted to scream, but one of them silenced her with his gaze. She already knew better than to resist them. Then she noticed Chase, the way he looked more as another their victim. _

_She was looking at him with pleading eyes, as if he could help her._

"_It's ok, you're going to be fine. They won't hurt you anymore," Chase whispered to her._

"_How the hell do you know?!" _

_They dragged him away from her and threw him on the floor, one of the prison guards handcuffed his hands behind his back. He was already too weak from the blood loss and ready to pass out without their help. He wanted to close his eyes, but he heard her weeping. _

"_Shut up! You bitch! If you haven't been so stupid, nothing would have happened! Now if you just try to tell somebody about it, we will find you, kill you and all your family! Did you get it?" _

_Chase could see her nodding, through the sobs._

"_Good, now gather your stuff and we'll get you out of here!" Then he turned his attention back to Chase "And you!__ are going to pay for your attitude!" With that he delivered several blows to his unprotected abdomen. Chase groaned in pain and felt that he would not be able to stay coherent much longer._

_She could see them beat the man who helped her. His body was already limp, but that didn't stop them._

"_See, what we can do? If you just tell a soul we will do the same to you and everyone you cared about. So better be quiet, gоt it?!" She nodded one more time and started to get up from the bed._

House was silent, and the girl before him was crying softly.

"Oк, let's go." He said, getting up and putting on his coat.

They didn't speak on their way to his apartment. How much more was he going to find out about Chase? Wasn't it easier to tell him everything once and for all? He was angry, it was very important piece of information, it could have helped in the current process, why Chase didn't tell it to anyone?

Chase was still sleeping when they arrived. They drank tea in silence in the kitchen.

"When did it happen?"

"About three month ago."

House nodded, he remembered his second visit, it was probably before that, maybe that's why Chase wanted to sleep so much that day.

"Did you went to any doctor, to remove stitches or something?" She appeared to be calm, so he decided to get more information.

She shook her head, but said, "My friend is a nurse, she helped me."

House cursed under his breath. A friend hardly could count as a witness.

"I got pregnant..." She said suddenly. "I terminated..."

He wanted to ask her more, but she continued.

"I got DNA of the baby."

House couldn't hide his smile. She was a smart girl.

Seeing his excitement, she said. "I don't want to press charges..."

"But..." House protested, but she interrupted him.

"Nobody knows anything, I'd like it to stay that way, but..." She hesitated. "But if Dr. Chase will need my help... I mean if his case won't be enough to sent them to prison, I will... I will do it."

"Look, his case would be much more stronger if you tell the truth. Besides, he doesn't have anything against the other two bastards who did this to you! Don't you want them to get what they deserve?"

"I don't know who's baby it was."

"I presume the one who was the first." House felt he was pushing too far, she was ready to burst into tears. Three months wasn't long enough and she wasn't counseling with anybody, didn't even tell anybody.

"Ok, it doesn't matter, just think about it later, ok? I think, I better check on our friend."

Maybe Chase heard that House was not alone and was waiting whoever it was to go.

House was right, Chase wasn't sleeping.

"Morning, I have a guest for you!"

Chase frowned, he didn't want any guests.

"Don't worry, you'll like her."

"It's not..."

"No, it's not Cameron, but if you keep avoiding her, she will be next. And get dressed, she is too young to see you in your pajamas."

Chase froze at the door, the moment he saw the girl. After several minutes of staring at each other, he managed to say.

"How are you?"

"Better... You?"

He just nodded and asked, "How did you find me?"

"News... I didn't recognize you at first. There were mostly your old photographs, you look on them different from..." From battered and bruised face she saw that day. But she didn't say it loud. He looked much better, she could still see fading scars on his face, but there were no swelling and open cuts, his hair was almost like it used to be. Now she could tell that he was good looking man, but she wasn't there for him, she knew from the news that he had a pregnant wife.

"I wanted to thank you... For what you did..."

"It wasn't much, I should have done more..."

"You couldn't, nobody could..."

As much as House wanted to witness their conversation, he felt that they had to talk alone.

"OK, guys, I see, you two get well together, and I still have my job to do, so I'll leave you alone."

They both wanted to protest, but he insisted and left.

He was right, when he came back, he found them on the couch, he could tell that both had been crying at one point, but now they were much more calm. Maybe it was even better than counseling. They've seen each other at their worst, they could relate to each other. He just hoped that this girl won't disappear as suddenly as she came.

After she left, Chase said, that he was tired and went to the bedroom. House could hear him dialing number on his mobile phone and then talking softly. Two hours later he could still hear him talking. He was glad, because he had run out of excuses why Chase couldn't call Cameron.

000

House quietly let himself into his apartment. He didn't want to make too much noise, because he never knew whether Chase would be up or sleeping. And he didn't want to wake him up, the boy needed as much rest as he could get.

The bedroom door was closed and Chase was no were to be seen, so House assumed that he was indeed sleeping. He went to the kitchen, took out his beer and some chips and went to watch TV. He wasn't really watching, mostly thinking about upcoming hearing. It was time for Chase to testify. He was afraid that Chase would break down. He still didn't talk about what happened, he hoped he talked to Heather, but she said that he didn't open up to her either, they were talking, but not about what happened to him.

The process was moving not as fast as House expected. For him everything was clear, but system of justice didn't work that way. They needed evidence for everything, logic wasn't enough, and Chase's case had too many black holes. They proved that he was mercilessly beaten in jail, but they couldn't prove who exactly did it. FBI was covering their employees so they were insisting that it happened in prison, so they should be responsible. Prison guards and warden denied that they had got anything to do with the beating, but they testified that FBI agents asked for "special" treatment for Dr. Chase which they provided by keeping him mostly in solitary. They wished they could deny that also, but they couldn't change prison journal records. They tried to blame it on prison fights among inmates, but because there were no records and no infirmary admissions they couldn't go too far there either. Nobody could explain why such severe injuries were not treated in infirmary, why there were no records about it. Now the last word was after Chase, he was the only one who could make everything clear.

House did his best to persuade Heather to testify, but when she eventually agreed, he was confronted by Chase.

"_House, leave her alone! Don't you dare drag her into it!"_

"_It's for her own good!"_

"_You don't know that! Just leave her alone!"_

"_She could help you, idiot! They're ripping your case apart! There is not enough evidence! You can end up in jail again! She can help you and herself!"_

"_I said, leave her alone! If you make her do it, I won't testify."_

_House could see that Chase wasn't bluffing. He was ready to protect this girl at any cost. From his experience Chase knew how hard it was to retell his own story. Even people who claimed, that they were trying to help, didn't really care about him or his feelings, all they needed was evidence and the most detailed story they could get. His mind was desperately trying to erase his memory, as if nothing had happened, as if it was a dream, but the more he was forced to tell, the more he wasn't able to hide under illusion that nothing had happened. It was hard enough to open up in front of a couple of detectives, he didn't even want to imagine, how hard it would be to do in the court full of people._

House looked at his watch, it was almost midnight, it wasn't like Chase, usually he would show up in the evening anyway.

House went to check on him. He opened the door and was puzzled to see that the bed was empty, he looked at the direction of the bathroom, maybe Chase sneaked there without him noticing, but the door was open and there was definitely nobody there. He decided to check kitchen and was already leaving when he spotted a blond hair peeking out at the other side of the bed. He carefully came closer to have a better look.

Chase was sitting on the floor, hands wrapped around his folded legs. He was rocking back and forth, muttering something under his breath. House couldn't see his face, it was hidden in his hands.

He sat on the bed, but didn't touch him.

"Chase?"

There was no answer.

"Chase, it's me House... Do you hear me?" House wasn't sure whether Chase was ignoring him or simply didn't even register his presence. He mentally cursed himself for not checking on him earlier. He carefully touched his shoulder, Chase flinched from the touch and resumed his rocking more forcefully. House tried to listen to what Chase was saying, but he couldn't make out the words.

He lowered himself on the floor, he didn't know whether it was right thing to do or not, but he firmly griped both young man's shoulders and commanded, "Look at me, Chase!"

Chase tried to move away, but House was much stronger. He shook him slightly, until Chase raised his head to look at him.

Eyes were bloodshot, tears were streaming down his cheeks, but the most worrying was blood coming from the corner of his mouth. "What the hell happened?!" House demanded. The amount of blood on his chin and T-shirt indicated that it wasn't coming from the cut, besides House couldn't see any cuts at all. Which meant that Chase was bleeding internally. "Chase, answer me! What the hell have happened?! Do you hear me?!"

The shouting seemed to bring Chase from his daze. His eyes focused on House, which brought even more tears to his eyes.

"Chase, please, talk to me!"

Suddenly Chase moved forward and hugged the other man, using him as a support for his already weak body.

House could hear him whisper, "I'm sorry..."

"What happened? Why are you sorry? Where this blood coming from?" He tried to push Chase to the previous position, so he could get a better look, but young man hang on him and didn't want to let go. "Chase, I need to look at you! You're bleeding, do you know that?"

"I'm sorry... House... I'm sorry..." he was crying into his shoulder.

"Fuck!" House muttered and without bothering Chase, pulled out his cell phone.

"Wilson, I need you at my place, now! And call Cuddy to send ambulance." He hang up without giving his friend any chance to say anything.

He put his cell on the floor and awkwardly put his hands around now shivering body wrapped around him. Human touch always bothered him. He remembered the first time Chase hugged him, he didn't hug back, but now he had to do something. He could feel that Chase was drained, he wouldn't be surprised if he would pass out soon. He just hoped he would be able to know what happened, before that.

"Chase, please, look at me! Everything is ok, you're safe." House felt that Chase winced at the word "safe".

Taking advantage of Chase's weakness House pulled him away from himself and carefully leaned on the wall again, firmly holding his shoulders, so Chase would not fall. House wished he could put him in bed, but it was impossible.

"Chase! Fuck! Talk to me!" House eventually shouted, frustrated at the lack of response from the other man.

Chase started to come around, he stopped crying or just run out of tears, he didn't know which. He smiled sadly at the older doctor and closed his eyes.

"Don't go to sleep!" He roughly shook him, making him open his eyes. "What happened? Does it hurt somewhere?"

"I'm fine, House... just tired..."

"Chase, you're bleeding and I have to know what causing it! We're going to hospital."

"No need... Just rest..." Eyes were closing again. House shook him again, but this time in vain. He felt Chase's body go limp, he barely managed to save him from hitting the floor hard.

Now when Chase was unconscious, he quickly started to examine him. He was right, there were no cuts, so the blood was coming from inside. The good sign was that it wasn't coming as much as it obviously used to. He lifted up his shirt, hoping to find the source of the bleeding, but was greeted with newly bruised chest.

"What the hell is this?!"

The bruises were definitely new, and Chase definitely couldn't done that to himself. House checked his hands to find new red marks around his wrists.

Somebody was there, and House even suspected who that somebody was. Chase was going to testify in two days.

He reached for his phone again. This time he called Fraser.

"Can you not move him? I'll be there in couple of minutes?" Detective asked, after House explained the situation.

"You don't fucking trust us, do you?!"

"Dr. House, it's not about my trust, I told you many times! I want to nail them as well as you do. But you can't imagine how hard it is to do, especially when FBI is involved! Believe me, I've seen much stronger cases falling apart! Please, just let me see him, before you patch him up."

"Ok, but hurry, I don't know, how much this couple of minutes would cost him."

House didn't know how long Chase had been like this, he just hoped he could wait a little longer.

Wilson was the first to arrive, followed shortly by the ambulance.

"House! He's bleeding, we can't just sit here and wait!" Wilson found it really hard to do nothing when somebody needed medical attention.

"I don't know how long he's been like this already... I thought he was sleeping... Didn't even check on him..."

"House, it's not your fault! You didn't do it!" Wilson could immediately feel the guilt building up inside of his friend's mind.

"I didn't prevent it..."

"What the hell you could have done?!"

"Be here..."

"And do what?!"

Wilson wanted to say more, but at that moment Fraser and his team had arrived.

Suddenly the room was full of action, very much like in the murder scenes in the movies, the only difference was that Chase was still alive. They checked everything for possible fingerprints. More traces of blood was found on the bed and on the floor, they even found the rope, probably the one they used to tie his hands.

After photographer took several pictures of Chase, Fraser let House and paramedics do their job.

000

They settled him in the private room. The source of blood was found and in OR they managed to repair the damage.

Fraser walked into the ICU room, House didn't move a muscle as if he didn't hear.

"We found nothing." He came closer, hoping if he could get in the line of vision, he would get a better chance to get House's attention.

"Nothing?!" House was angry, mostly with himself for not being able to predict that course of actions. And now he was also puzzled, how people could break into his home, beat the man up and leave no traces.

"They were gloved and very careful." He did it so many times, but still found it hard to deliver a bad news. He should have known, that they would not give up that easy, in any other situation he would have put Chase on the witness protection program, but after so much storm in the press he was sure they wouldn't dare to do anything, but he was wrong. "How is he?"

House didn't answer. If the older doctor blamed him, Fraser didn't mind. He blamed himself, but right now he was very, very tired. He also had a sleepless night, but the worst was that it was useless. He already decided to go home, when he heard House say.

"He won't testify."

"What?" Maybe he was just tired and hearing things.

"He won't testify." House repeated.

"Did he tell you that?"

House shook his head.

"Then, why do you think that he won't?"

"He said, he was sorry, he has nothing to apologize for. It means he was going to do something."

"Maybe we better wait and ask him, what he meant."

"I didn't expect you to be _that_ stupid?!" House angrily looked up at Fraser. "What exactly do you think they were doing there?! Came to check how he was feeling?"

"I don't think, they can frighten him with what they did."

House was annoyed with man's stupidity and didn't even try to hide it.

"Dr. House, just tell me, what's on your mind!" He was too tired to play this games.

"I think, they threaten him again, that if he opens his mouth, they'll kill Cameron." House emphasized every word as if he was explaining to a four year old.

"Did they ever threaten his wife before?" Detective ignored the sarcastic tone, concentrating on the information.

"Didn't he tell you?"

"He said, it was only about you."

House obviously didn't share Chase's reason for hiding that information.

"I think, that was what landed him in coma in the first place."

"I can order security for her."

"You think it can help?"

"It won't harm any one for sure."

House nodded his approval.

"Can you let me know, when he wakes up?"

Another nod. Fraser left, he hoped that House was wrong and there was no threat to Dr. Cameron, because they achieved their goal anyway, now Chase wasn't able to testify until he would be better.

000

House was desperately trying to concentrate on thinking of how else they could prove that FBI agents were guilty, when he heard the door open again. He hoped it was Wilson, but it was Cuddy.

"How is he?"

"You need to know, because you want to know should you start to worry about me?" That irritated him to no end, because his friends first concern was never Chase.

"Don't be like that. I do worry about him."

"I doubt it."

"If you're not in the mood, I'll ask Wilson."

"Go," But before she had time to leave, he blurted, "I want to put him in coma."

"You _what_?" She knew that House would never stop to surprise her, but Chase's medical case was not a mystery, she didn't expect any extraordinary treatment. "Why? I heard his injuries were not that serious."

"It's not about that."

"Than what is it about?"

"I don't want him... I don't want him to be in pain again."

"I can't make this decision. You know it is risky, especially in his condition. You have to talk to Cameron. He didn't list anyone as his proxy, and she is officially his wife."

"She's the worst proxy, I know. Foreman would have been less brain-damaged if he would chose me, or even his father."

"Foreman is not brain-damaged. And you can manipulate anyone. What's your real reason to put him in coma?" She could understand House's concern about pain, but after knowing the man for so long, she could feel that it wasn't only about pain.

"He doesn't want to testify... It would give us time to find more evidence."

"But you can't keep him like that forever?"

"Something will come up, they can't work so clean. They'll make a mistake."

At that time Wilson burst into the room.

"You have to talk to her!"

"Whom?"

"Cameron! She's threatening to come here if you won't talk to her."

"What's her problem?" 

"Fraser called her, about her security. She wanted to talk to Chase. As for he's not available, you better talk to her yourself."

"Tell her everything is fine."

"Already did, she doesn't believe me."

"Ok," House let out tiered sigh, "I'll do it."

Wilson's sudden intrusion gave Cuddy time to weight her options, but her decision was based not on the rational thinking, but on the fact that since Chase became a patient in her hospital House took full responsibility for him and it wasn't her place to get in the way now.

"Do whatever you think is right." She left, hoping that her sometimes blind trust to House wouldn't let her down this time.

"What was she talking about?" Wilson asked bewildered.

"Nothing." The less people would know about what he was going to do the better. He had to tell Cuddy, he didn't want to set her up, without her knowledge, in case something would go wrong.

_A/N: I was away traveling and the only internet access I had was my iPhone, so I'm really, really sorry for making you wait so long, but I'm much more sorry if I've disappointed anybody, I just hope your expectations weren't too high for this chapter. _

_Thank you very much for reading and if you have anything to say, please, please, please do!! _

_P.S. I updated my user's profile, in case anybody is interested._


	8. House, Wilson, OC

"House!"

House heard his friend shout his name, even before he saw the man himself. Cuddy had a big mouth.

"You want to put him in coma!"

House tiredly looked up at his friend. "What's wrong with that? You had no problem, when Cuddy did the same to me."

"You were shot!"

"Do you want me to shoot him, before I do that?"

"It's not funny, House, he's too weak." Wilson looked at Chase's sleeping form and felt guilty for raising his voice, he sat at the opposite chair, preparing himself for the long argument. "House, he's been in real coma only two month ago and you were afraid that he won't come out of it. Now you want to put him in coma intentionally. There is a chance, he may never wake up again."

"Don't you think, I know that?!"

"Maybe you can reason him, when he wakes up and he will change his mind."

"He won't."

"What exactly did he say?"

"Sorry."

"_Sorry_ what?"

"Sorry, House."

"That's it?! He said _sorry House,_ and you decided, that he won't testify, that's a long shot even for you, House!"

"I know, he's going to do something." House said firmly.

"But it can be something else."

"What else?"

"Maybe he decided to rat you out eventually?" Wilson didn't believe his own words, but still hypothetically it was possible.

"In that case, I should definitely put him in coma."

"It's not a joke! Besides it's illegal! And if FBI will find out? After all, you were their real target all the time, it will be a perfect occasion for them!"

"You don't give a damn about him, do you?! Why on earth are you all hate him so much?!" Again the same thing, they were concerned about him and Chase was just a cover.

"I don't hate him." Wilson was taken aback by his friend's words.

House looked at his friend. "Why?"

"_Why_ I don't hate him?"

"Don't pretend you're an idiot! Why you hate.. all right, lets say dislike him?"

Wilson felt uncomfortable, it wasn't right to discuss, why he didn't like someone, when that someone was lying unconscious in the hospital bed. But House stare told him, he would not let him go without answers. House's curiosity had no limits, Wilson always wondered, why his friend wanted to know everything about everyone, it wasn't like he cared.

The oncologist always though, he treated everybody equally, why House was so sure he didn't like Chase, he didn't know, but deep down he knew House was right, he was always right. Chase was too laid back for his liking, too agreeing to whatever House had in mind. Wilson was sure that he wasn't the right fellow for the diagnostic department and won't last long. In his opinion, House needed someone like Cameron to take care of House and things he didn't bother to do, he needed someone like Foreman to disagree with him, even if it wasn't right. And Chase was just a quiet version of House himself, except not as talented. That was what he was thinking then, but much later Wilson was the first one to understand the real reason, why House fired Chase, he was the only one from the flock who was ready to fly on his own, he just hoped Chase knew that as well.

"He went to Vogler." Suddenly Wilson blurted out the only legitimate reason he could think of why he didn't like Chase.

"Vogler?" House snorted. " It was hundred years ago!"

"Just three, House. He betrayed you."

"So what? You did too!"

"I was trying to help you!"

"Nobody knows his real reason."

"He was saving his job."

"You got your job back as a result as well."

"But it wasn't my reason to go to Tritter! What a bastard are you, House?! I had to close my whole practice, because of you!"

"You got it back. So, you two did the same thing to me and got the same thing back."

Wilson was furious. "Do you know, why I made that deal with Tritter?!"

House nodded for him to say it.

"Because of him!" Wilson looked at Chase. 

"Chase? What the hell is he got to do with it?"

"We've met after you punched him and he said something like, he's not going to wait any longer. I was afraid, he was going to betray you... again."

"So you decided to do it yourself?"

"I made you a good deal, you lost it because of your stubbornness. And if not for Cuddy, you would probably be still in jail."

House looked at Chase, suddenly he wished Cuddy wouldn't protect him. Maybe Chase would have been fine.

"If you had a choice, who would you chose to go to prison him or me?"

"I'm not going to choose, House."

"Why?"

"I don't want to play your stupid games, besides, I think, you know the answer."

House nodded, yes he knew. "And if Chase would have testified against me, what would you do?"

"I don't know, tell them that you were doing it in the best interests of the patient. Maybe Cuddy would have came up with something."

"I didn't mean that, I know, what you would have done to help me. I want to know, what you would have done to Chase."

"I don't know, House."

"Say it, Jimmy. You run out of your _I don't knows_. Say it, I want to hear it."

Wilson shrugged. "Wouldn't talk to him, persuade Cuddy to fire him, make sure Cameron dump him."

House was amazed. "Looks like, you thought it over."

"I was afraid, he would break down. I was sure, he would testify."

"So you were happy, when he went to jail?"

"House, what the hell is wrong with you?! What are you trying to prove?!"

"That he was right. He knew, that he would lose everything either way."

"I didn't know, that it would end that way. Nobody did."

"Except for Chase." House added.

"House, I know you feel guilty... But it's not your fault..."

"The hell is not!" House interrupted him.

Wilson shut up, it was useless to talk to House when he was in the mood.

"Do you know, why I didn't fire him, after Vogler?"

"Huh?"

"He was the only one who went that far, because he so desperately wanted to stay. Cameron and Foreman, they didn't want to leave either, but they had their limits of what they were ready to give for that." Maybe that's why Chase went so far to protect him this time as well.

"Then why were you torturing him?"

"To prove my point. He was ready to do anything to stay. Foreman would have quit the first week or run to Cuddy, Cameron would have tried to talk to me and then eventually would run to Cuddy or to you, by the way. Chase... he just took it, pretended that it was ok, that it was normal. I bet, he coped like that with his parents as well, pretending what they were doing to him was normal."

Suddenly Wilson desperately wished he had a child of his own. He had to talk to Amber, they can't wait any longer. He will never be able to adopt someone, like House did, it just struck him, that his friend treated Chase like his own son, but on the other hand, they had so much in common. Both had troubled childhood, thanks to their parents, both had been extremely bright, with extraordinary thinking, no wonder House got so well with the kid for so long. At first Wilson was annoyed with conversation he was having, he didn't want to be a bastard, who didn't give a damn about Chase. Now he understood why he rejected Chase so much, he was envy of the parental feelings House expressed towards Chase, he could see it from the very beginning: the Vogler, then when he didn't tell Chase about his father, House was trying to protect him and then Kayla's death, Wilson doubted his friend would have done as much to protect him.

"I don't hate him, House. And I do like him, especially after..." He didn't say it loud, "But somebody has to protect you, that's why I worry about you more than him."

"I'm not lying unconscious."

"You're not, but it doesn't mean, that they can't hurt you as well."

"They hurt me by hurting him." House muttered to himself.

Wilson didn't hear what he said and didn't pay much attention to it either.

"House, I'm serious. Don't put him in coma, it's dangerous for him and you as well. You won't forgive yourself, if something goes wrong."

"Do you want me to wake him up, ask his permission, so my conscience will be clean?" House asked sarcastically.

"Why not?!" Wilson liked that idea. "It's his life, he has a right to make a choice."

"Don't you know, what he will choose, Jimmy?" If House called him Jimmy, it meant he was really annoyed with him.

"I don't know. Make him agree to it. You seem to have no problem with manipulating people into anything."

"I can't manipulating him to testify, how the hell I'm going to persuade him to go into coma again?"

"I don't know, I'm sure, you can think of something. You have time. By the way, when he's going to wake up?"

"By the amount of sedatives I gave him, not soon."

"House! You want him to become addicted, like you?!"

"What else can I do?! If you are that _smart_, maybe you can think of something?!"

"House, they are watching you!" Wilson warned him. "They are watching you, make desperate, stupid things! And they will use it against you!"

The look House gave him was way too familiar to Wilson, House had an epiphany.

"So? What's on your mind?" Wilson asked, when he spotted a hint of smile on the other man's face.

"Nothing"

"I don't believe you."

"That's your problem."

"What are you going to do?" 

"Nothing."

"Again, I don't believe you."

"As you wish." He smiled and took out his game boy, to show Wilson that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Do you want me to clean... clean your apartment?" Suddenly Wilson remembered, why he came there in the first place, before he found out about coma.

House shook his head.

"They left a lot of mess, are you sure about it?"

This time he nodded.

"Maybe I better stay with you? I don't think, it is safe for you to stay alone. Or you can join us in our apartment?"

"With Amber?" House let out the snort.

"She's not that bad."

"Don't really care, it's your life."

"House, please, it's important. Your apartment is definitely not safe enough."

"For Chase, not for me. Don't worry, anyway, I'm not going anywhere."

"You can't stay here forever?"

"I need to think, I'll call you, if I'll go anywhere."

"Promise?"

"Don't be stupid."

"Ok, just call me, if you need anything"

House made sure, that Wilson was gone and limped to his office.

000

House knocked on the door, again there was no answer, maybe he got the wrong address? He stepped back to look at the windows, he was sure somebody was at home, so he resumed his banging.

After several minutes, he took out his phone to dial the number, he found along with the address, but at that moment door was unlocked.

At first, he didn't recognize the man before him, he seemed so much older, but last time he saw him was only a couple of months ago.

"This time, it is definitely you, who wants to meet me, Dr. House." Warden didn't move from the door.

"Will you let me in?"

"Why should I? I have a feeling, I'll regret it."

"You'll regret it much more, if you don't."

Eventually warden stepped aside to let House in, he closed the door, but didn't invite his guest any farther.

"What do you want?"

"I'm a cripple, I can't stand for so long."

"Than make it short."

"Do you have a couple of hookers in your bedroom, you don't want to share?"

Warden gave him a look and led him to the living room.

They sat opposite each other at the coffee table.

"I'm afraid, asking you for something to drink would be pointless."

"Dr. House, don't try my patience."

"Ok, I came to offer you a deal."

"_A deal_?" He couldn't stop himself from laughing. "The kid's case going down the drain and you're offering me _a deal_?"

House made a mental note, he called Chase a kid. From the very first moment, he felt that warden didn't want anything to happen to Chase, eventually it was he who helped, he could have sent him to any other hospital, where nobody would care less and let him die, but he called him, knowing that he would do his best.

"Do you really want him to come back?"

It was obvious, warden didn't expect that question. "I don't care. Besides, it is none of my business, if they decide to send him back."

"It will be your business to kill him."

Warden looked down at his hand, studying it. "I don't know, what you're talking about, Dr. House."

"Fraser told me, all tapes from the security cameras in prison were destroyed. Hard to believe really?"

"All this new equipment, Dr. House, can't rely on it nowadays. Our main computer got a virus or something and everything crushed. If it would have been good old tapes, everything would have been on place." He was talking casually, but House could feel the tension, he just had to find a way to break the ice. He looked around, hopping to find something he could use as a bargain chip.

It was a big house, at first he expected 20 kids to jump around, but there was no one. The living room was nice and tidy and clean, but everything was quite old. It felt like he stepped into the time machine and now was somewhere in 1985. There was a big black and white photograph on the fireplace, bride and groom smiling faces stared at him, he could hardly recognize the latter. There were also a couple of photographs of the little blond boy.

"We won't press charges against you. Fraser promised me, he'll let you go." House was sure, warden was a wise man and he would understand, that it was a good deal. "Now you have a choice, what tapes you want us to see, but if _they_ find them, you won't."

Warden was quiet, but it was obvious, he was thinking hard.

"So, what is you answer?"

"Are you accusing me of stealing the evidence?" He looked up at House.

"I don't, I just think, you were smart enough to make a copy, before FBI destroyed it."

"Didn't you ever want to be a detective, Dr. House?" He asked sarcastically.

"No, did you?"

"I _was_ a detective, Dr. House, I know how system works, they won't find an elephant on the sunny day, let alone non existing tapes."

"If you were a shitty detective, doesn't mean the rest are as well." House could feel he hit a nerve there, but before warden would kick him out, he asked. "They are dead, aren't they?" He motioned to the pictures.

Warden had one of the most furious looks, House had ever seen.

"Get out, Dr. House!" He said quietly. "Nothing is saint for you, I really wonder, why he went that far to protect a piece of shit like you."

"Look, you lost your job, your family and now they are making you lose what is left of your dignity as well. If he goes back, they will make you kill him, maybe you won't be the one who will deliver the final kick, but you'll be the one who will order it. And it will make you a killer, someone you were against so much on your previous job."

There was a long silence.

"I killed them." Warden eyes were locked on the invisible spot on the coffee table, he spoke barely above a whisper, replaying in his head a car accident that took away his family, leaving him alive to suffer. "I was driving."

House wished, he could say he was sorry, but he wasn't. There was no way, he would be able to feel any sort of compassion for the man before him, despite the fact that warden did help Chase, House still hated him. He could have reported about what was happening in his prison, he knew Chase was innocent, but he didn't and it made him as bad person as people who ordered that.

"So, what are you going to do? Kill another innocent man as well?"

This time House received, very well known to him, hateful look.

Warden shook his head, he couldn't change the man before him, but he could still help the kid.

"I'll call Fraser." He got up to see House to the door.

House was smiling, "Nice to have business with you, Mr..." He didn't even remember his name.

"Just leave, Dr. House." He shut the door behind him.

_A/N: I don't personally think, that Wilson made the deal with Tritter because of Chase, it just fits here. _

_This story is coming to an end and my "muse" for this story is running out as well. But I don't like unfinished stories, so I'm going to finish it, even if it won't be good. If anybody has any suggestions, I'm ready to hear them._

_As always, your comments make me really, really happy :)_


	9. House, OC, Wilson, Chase

_One month later._

House was standing before the closed door to the Fraser's department. He didn't know why he came here. The case was closed, Chase was free, Harrington was in jail. What's more was he expecting to happen? But still he wasn't satisfied. It all seemed so unfair, it's not like he believed in justice, at least not concerning him. But this wasn't about him. Man's life had been destroyed, he lost his job, he was damaged mentally and physically, the impact on his unborn baby had yet to be discovered, because Cameron had to go through too much stress during her pregnancy. And authorities were expecting them to be happy just because he was free?

He hesitated a few more moments and then entered the department.

Fraser was genuinely surprised to see the scruffy doctor standing before his desk.

"I never thought I'll see you again, Dr. House. Unless something impossible happen, like me having some undiagnosticable disease or you killing someone intentionally."

"I want to see it." House made himself comfortable in the chair.

"It?"

"The tapes."

"Tapes? There was only one."

House was surprised, he never though that one tape was enough to close such complicated case. Warden was true to his word, besides handing the evidence, he also testified, which helped send Harrington along with his gang to prison for quite a long time. After that Harrington tried to blame everything on House's patient's father, Mr. Morrow, but it didn't help him.

"Anyway, I want to see it."

"It is highly confidential. It was actually _you_ who insisted it to be so."

"I know, that's why, I think, I have the right to see it."

"No, you don't. And I don't have access anymore as well."

"O, come on! There is no way such powerful agent like you doesn't have access. You are practically James Bond!"

Fraser smiled, since the first day they met, House humiliated him, calling him stupid or even worse, and now when he needed something from him, he was praising him.

"Believe me, I don't. Case is closed, unless you want me to open it again."

"_I_ got you that tapes."

"They were brought to me, I don't even want to know how you persuaded him to do it. Besides, you didn't want to see it before, what have changed?"

"Nothing."

"I don't think, it is something you should see, it's quite..." he couldn't find the right word.

"I know, I have to."

"Dr. House, I really can't help you."

House was silent, maybe Fraser was right, he shouldn't see it.

"How is Dr. Chase?"

It took House a moment to realize that the other man was speaking.

Fraser repeated his question.

"He's fine."

"Did he wake up?"

House shook his head.

Fraser was surprised by indifferent reaction from the doctor, and then he realized something. He smiled, "You seem kind of uncaring, you weren't like that before. It was you, wasn't it? You made sure that he didn't wake up to testify." After House ignored him, he asked, "But he will wake up, won't he?"

"I hope so."

Another long silence followed. Fraser was aimlessly toying with his pen and then asked.

"Is there anything else you want from me, Dr. House?"

"If you can't let me see it, then can you at least tell me, what was on it."

He was amazed that House gave up so easily, it wasn't like him at all. Maybe he simply took his advise. He looked down at the pen in his hands.

"It was his last encounter with Harrington in prison. You were right. They showed him pictures of Dr. Cameron, along with examination list, that she was pregnant. He was told that they would hurt her if he wouldn't testify against you. He agreed, and when Harrington walked out to get the protocol, he darted off and hit one of the man who stayed with him. Then they... " He paused, images from the black and white tape came alive before his eyes. "You have seen the result." He added softly.

House nodded silently. He was curios how warden and his stuff walked out unharmed, now he knew. "Clever bastard, it was probably the only tape without his guards and himself."

"I doubt it, it seems agents were visiting quite often. I don't know why are you angry at warden, without him we couldn't prove anything."

"He managed to walk out clean. Didn't even lose his job."

"He resigned."

House was surprised, though he didn't really care.

"Is that why you are here? You want everyone who was somehow involved in that case to be punished?"

House looked at detective, but said nothing.

"If you want me to open that case again, I don't mind, but this time, we won't be able to prove anything unless Dr. Chase will testify. And you don't want him to go through it, do you?"

"No, I don't."

House got up and, without saying goodbye, left. Fraser shrugged his shoulders and went back to his paperwork, he already got used to House's strange behavior.

000

"_House, what the hell are you waiting for?" _Wilson was his conscience. Sometimes he could hear his voice in his head, even if his friend wasn't even speaking.

House was sitting at his desk, playing with his ball.

Wilson was sitting in the opposite chair, drilling him with his gaze. Mentally asking the same question, "What the hell was he waiting for?"

Chase was sleeping, everything was fine. What would happen, when he wakes up? How was he going to explain why he put him in coma? How to tell him that he made him sleep through the whole month of his life? Tell him that 12 strangers along with judge, prosecutor and lawyers had seen the worst experience of his life? One month ago all he cared about was Chase's freedom, but now he had his doubts. Was it the right thing to do or not? He didn't know, but he wouldn't find it out, until Chase would wake up.

Wilson got up. "Let's go. If you won't show up in ten minutes, Cuddy's going to do it herself."

"Fine."

"Don't you want to talk to him, when he'll wake up? You have a hell of a lot to explain to him!"

"I don't have to explain anything."

"House! It was your idea, you kept him unconscious for the whole month! And now you want us to pick up your mess!"

House didn't move.

"All right! Hide, like you always do!" Wilson stormed out, as much as he wanted to avoid it himself, he didn't want to leave Cuddy alone.

But it wasn't long before, House's pager went off, he read the message: "He's not waking up" and seconds later he limped to Chase's room himself.

000

_Chase was floating, the air around him was so thick that it felt like he was doing it underwater. He couldn't tell whether he was breathing or not, but he didn't really care._

_He could hear voices, so familiar, he could actually see them, though his eyes were closed. They were arguing, like a loving couple, he wished his parents would argue, it would have meant that they cared for each other, strained silence was much more frightening._

_It felt nice, water around him was soft and warm and bright._

_It was so quiet and still down there, all the noise and fuss was far away. He felt so peaceful, but some part of him wanted to be there, among that buzzing voices._

"_Am I dead?" Chase was amazed that question didn't come to his mind earlier. He tried to jog his memory, what was the last thing he remembered? As more images started to come to his mind everything around him darkened, suddenly he wasn't floating anymore, he was lying on the hard floor with hands tied behind his back. He looked around, it was House's bedroom, he was not alone, three pairs of boots surrounded him. How did he end up like that? _

_He was lying on the bed, reading, when he heard the knocking on the front door. He didn't expect anyone, whoever had to visit him had keys. He tried to ignore it, but the banging didn't stop._

"_Dr. Chase, I know you are there, open the door, please."_

_Chase shivered at sound of that voice, the first thought was to run. It was the first floor, right? He could jump off the window. He got up, put on the sweater and approached the bedroom window, he carefully peaked through to see if they were waiting for him there. _

_He already had one foot over the window-sill, when he heard him again._

"_Dr. Chase, if you are not available, then I will have to make an appointment with Dr. Cameron."_

_He froze. He hated himself for that, he let them manipulate him so easily. House would say that he is an idiot, but he couldn't help it. He slowly approached the door and opened it._

_He was roughly pushed inside, though the force wasn't so strong, but in his weak state he came with the full contact with the nearest wall. He had to steady himself from falling with both hands._

"_It's nice to meet you again, Dr. Chase." Harrington whispered to his ear, while the other two were tying his hands, pressing him into the wall. _

_Harrington looked around._

"_Cosy apartment Dr. House has here." He made his way to the bedroom. "Bring him here."_

_He couldn't believe it was happening again. Fuck! This time he definitely had a choice, but he blew it as always. He could have run, made a call to Cameron, hide her somewhere, but he didn't. Now he was lying helpless on the floor, he was at their mercy again. He knew they would come after him. He knew House's plan wouldn't work. He should have run. But he didn't. He knew what was expected from him. He did exactly that. He was pathetic. That's what House would have told him. Actually House was talking to him right now, but it wasn't that, he was calling his name._

_Chase was glad when buzzing above him distracted him from his memories, House was calling his name. How many times he woke up to the old man calling his name, why was he so kind to him?_

_He wanted to reach him, but he couldn't even open his eyes._

"He should have been awake already." Wilson muttered angrily.

"He will, he just needs time. His BP is rising, he's waking up. Chase, come on! Come on, wake up! Sleeping beauty!"

_Why it was always House? Where was Cameron? Cameron... he sent her home, he talked to her. How was she? Has she gave birth to their baby already? Why could he hear House? Shouldn't he be back in prison? Was she all right?_

"Shit!"

Wilson hardly heard his friend, above beeping monitors, blood pressure was rising to the dangerous level. He quickly approached the bed, in case House needed help.

"What's going on?" Wilson asked, hoping his fear wasn't obvious.

House leaned closer to Chase. "Calm down, Chase, calm down. Everything is fine. Cameron is fine. Do you hear me? You need to wake up!"

They weren't sure whether Chase heard House, but his breathing evened and his vitals became closer to normal.

"What was that?"

"I don't know. I suspect panic attack, or maybe he dreamed something, anyway call Foreman, we need to check him for the brain damage."

"The MRI didn't show any..."

"I know!" House practically yelled at his friends face. "Maybe we missed something. I didn't let him wake up, to check him properly."

"House, everything will be all right. You couldn't miss anything, he just needs more time in his weakened state." Wilson did his best to sound reassuring.

"I really hope so." He sat defeated on the chair. It would be a twist of fate if after everything Chase had been through he would die or stay in coma, initiated by House.

_A/N: Thank you very much for reading and you can't even imagine how valuable every comment is for me!_

_Next chapter is going to be a big challenge for me, I'm going to write something I wanted to do a long time ago - conversation between Chase and Foreman. I don't know whether I'll be able to do a decent one, but if not you can always reread such great stories like __Assisted Living__ by __quack675__ or __I spy__ by __You're out of your vulcan mind_

_Jellyhair, I hope you can see that part of this chapter was inspired by your question, thank you!_


	10. Chase, Foreman, House, Wilson

_Many, many, many thanks to the beta-reader of this chapter - ChibiTomoyo !_

* * *

Foreman was coming and leaving the room. He had no clue why Chase still didn't wake up. Of course it was possible that it could take some time to come out from chemically induced coma, but House was having none of it.

It was actually Foreman who noticed slightest movement of Chase's hand.

"He's waking up!"

All three men stood up anticipating. But it's been another 30 minutes until Chase opened his eyes.

At first he was disoriented, lost, looking around with somewhat frighten eyes. That behavior brought а reasonable question.

"Do you know who you are?"

House's voice made him concentrate on the older doctor, Chase was studying him for another minute before whispered, "House..."

Everyone in the room smiled.

"As much as you probably want it to be true, it's not. It's my name, not yours."

Chase didn't appreciate the joke and looked around with worrisome expression.

"Where's Cameron?"

Every time Chase asked that question House felt a pang of guilt.

"His brain is obviously fine." Foreman muttered, hoping that House would now get off his back.

"Where is she?" Chase repeated his question, now unsuccessfully trying to sit up.

"Relax," House gently pushed him down. "She's fine. Waiting for you at home."

"Home?"

"Yes, you have a home. You can go there, when I discharge you."

"And…?"

"Everything is over, you're free."

They all saw Chase's eyes fill with tears, but he didn't let them go any farther. He spotted Wilson and asked. "Is it true?"

Wilson just nodded.

"Ungrateful son of a bitch! After everything I've done for you, you still don't trust me?" House said with a smile on his face, but with hurt in his voice.

"The FBI…?" Chase ignored him, he wanted to learn about what happened as much as he could.

House interrupted Chase again. "They are where they belong. You don't have to worry about it anymore, you don't have to testify. Later I'll explain to you how we've done it, but now you need to rest." He turned to Foreman and gave him instructions for the new tests. Foreman rolled his eyes, in his opinion there was no need for further examination and Chase was going to be fine, but he left to arrange the tests anyway.

Chase was deep in his thoughts, he didn't know why, but he had a feeling that a lot of time had passed.

"How long I've been out?"

"About a month." At first House wanted to lie, but then decided to tell the truth, hoping that Chase wouldn't ask too many questions now.

"Baby? Did Cameron..."

House couldn't stop himself from grinning when he saw shock in Chase's eyes. As much as he wanted to mock him, he didn't. "You have a very patient kid, he's waiting for you to wake up, so you can deliver him yourself."

Chase shook his head, he would never ever do it himself. He didn't want to see her struggle.

"Why... why is she not here?"

House didn't expect that question. "She didn't know you would wake up."

"But you obviously did."

House grinned, even just coming out of a coma Chase didn't loose his sharp thinking.

"Don't bother that pretty little head of yours with such complicated thoughts. I was just around, besides your vitals said that you'd wake up soon."

"Why didn't you call her then?"

"Chase, she's fine." Wilson decided to interfere. "I promise to explain you everything later, you really need to rest."

Chase still had his doubts. They were hiding something.

"You can call her, if you want." House took out his cell phone and handed it to Chase, who took it with a shaking hand.

"Just don't give her a stroke, okay? She may be a little surprised to hear your voice."

Chase smiled and dialed the number.

"House, may I have a word with you?" Wilson asked quietly, while Chase was waiting for Cameron to pick up. House made a disappointed face, as if he wanted to hear what Chase was going to say, but followed his friend outside anyway.

"You can't let him go home!"

"Oh, come on, Wilson, he's a big boy, he'll manage."

"He's too weak and Cameron is in no shape to look after him."

"He'll be all right."

"He wasn't able even to sit up!"

"He'll be fine in couple of hours."

"And if not?"

"He will. He needs to start to take control over his life again."

"I never thought I'd hear these words coming from your mouth. Ever since he came here you didn't let him wipe his own ass, you put him in coma, just because you were paranoid!"

"He was making the wrong choices."

"Why do you think now he'll make the right ones?" Wilson asked sarcastically.

"He doesn't have to choose anymore."

"At least examine him properly, before you send him home." Wilson glanced at the happy face of the young man behind the glass wall, shook his head disapprovingly at House and then walked away.

House stayed. He was watching Chase smile and laugh into the phone, and first time in months he felt as if a heavy weight was lift up from his shoulders.

000

Foreman entered the room. Chase was sleeping. He made himself comfortable on the chair at the faraway corner and picked up a magazine to read.

Chase heard someone's breathing in his room. He got used to wake up with someone sitting, watching him. It was like they were afraid to let him wake up alone. He could distinguish House, Cameron, some of the nurses, but that sound didn't belong to any of them.

Chase slowly opened his eyes. He looked around, but couldn't see anyone. He turned to his side and leaned on his elbow to raise his head. Only then he spotted polished shoes of his ex-coworker, the rest of the body was covered by the magazine that he was reading. With a groan, he collapsed back on the bed. He was annoyed with his weakness.

"How are you feeling?" Foreman asked when he heard Chase groan.

"Tired."

"It's normal."

"Normal?" Chase lifted his head for a second to make sure Foreman saw him. "I've been sleeping for the fucking month! I should have rested enough already!"

"You know, it's not true."

"Why did I end up in the coma again?" That question didn't let him rest.

"You better ask House."

"Don't you know?" Chase made another attempt to sit up.

Foreman put away his magazine and came closer. He raised the bed rest, so Chase was be able to sit. "I do. But you have to ask House about it."

"Where is he?"

"Celebrating."

"What?"

"Your waking up. You scared him, he thinks there is possible brain damage."

"That's why you're here?" Chase sounded upset. He hoped he'd be able to walk away without permanent damage, but he knew it was hardly possible.

Foreman nodded, but did nothing.

"Aren't you going to give me a neurological exam?"

"Do you want me to?"

"I don't know... If House thinks that..."

"You still trust him blindly, don't you?"

"And you don't?" Chase retorted.

"Maybe. But I think you're fine."

It wasn't like Foreman to take any chances. He wouldn't risk and didn't listen to House if he didn't know something.

"Why are you so sure? There must be something wrong, if I couldn't wake up for so long."

"There was another reason for your coma." Foreman thought that he should have just proceeded with neurological exam and skip that conversation.

"What reason?"

"You have to ask House."

"What did he do?"

"He saved your ass."

"I know. What else?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"You're not working for him, but I am."

"Did he do this to me?" Chase asked carefully, hoping that this wasn't true.

Foreman was silent. He didn't know how Chase did it, but it seemed he always could understand House's way of thinking. When they were working together he was sure Chase's agreeing with their boss was a kiss ass, but now he could tell that young man simply had the same logic.

"So did he?" Chase asked bitterly, considering Foreman's silence meant 'yes'.

"He had no choice."

"_He had no choice_, but to put me in coma? What was his other choices? Why couldn't he simply ask me?"

"Chase, please, you know I don't like the man, but he did the right thing."

Chase was silent. He felt betrayed. He thought that House respected him enough not to interfere into his life like that.

"Who testified instead of me? Is that why he needed me to be knocked out?"

"Chase it wasn't like that at all." There wasn't much Foreman could say to make Chase understand.

"How the hell did they close that case? What the hell did House do?"

"I don't know!"

"You're lying!"

"As I said before, you're not working for him. But he can make my life hell."

"Then why don't you quit?" Unable to get his answers Chase decided to lash out at Foreman.

His remarks could be as biting as House's.

"What the hell are you upset about anyway? Everything is over. What else do you want?"

"I want to run my own life! I don't want House to decide what is better for me!"

"We never know what is better for us. You're lucky to have someone who can make the right decision for you." Foreman sounded upset. He didn't have anyone to help him in his life. But it was nobody's fault except his own, as he distanced himself from his parents, from his past, and from anyone who could possibly accompany him in his life. He was alone. He used to think that Chase was stupid, but this rich, stupid white kid had achieved in his life much more then he did.

"I have no choice."

Chase looked at him questioningly.

"I mean, I can't quit because I have no choice." Foreman didn't want to talk about it, but he wanted to distract Chase somehow.

"Oh, come on. You're a cool neurologist, it's not like you can't find a job somewhere else."

"And threw away three years of this fellowship?"

Chase shrugged his shoulders, "It's better than working for him."

"I thought you liked him?" Foreman asked with a grin.

"As a man, but not as my boss."

"Sometimes I envy you and Cameron."

"Only sometimes? I thought you envy us all the time." Chase smiled.

"Ever since you've been fired you sound more and more like House."

Chase shook his head, he had hoped he was nicer.

"What did you do in Arizona?" Foreman was surprised that he didn't ask Chase about it before.

"Department head ICU."

"You quit department head to come back here?" Foreman couldn't believe his ears. "Sex must be really good. Your dick will get you in trouble some day, if you won't find a way to control him."

Chase smiled, he remembered Cameron and that soon he's going to be a father.

"What are you going to do? I mean later, when you'll feel better."

Chase shrugged his shoulders. "Not many choices I have here."

"Why? Don't you want to work in surgery anymore?"

Chase snorted. "I want to... But I can't."

"Why? Why can't you work there?" Foreman sounded genuinely surprised.

"I can't... I won't be able to do it anymore..." Chase didn't want to list the medical reasons, because he was sure that Foreman was aware of them.

"Your motor functions will be back. You know that, don't you? Maybe you'll need one more surgery on your hand, but I was told that damage is completely repairable."

"I can't trust myself..." Chase looked down at his hands.

"Chase, it's just..." What he could possibly say? He knew nothing about what Chase had gone through. "Give it time, it's too soon to say anything. You can start in ICU, Cuddy will give you any position you want now."

"Do you think ICU needs less concentration than surgery?" Chase sounded annoyed. He didn't want people to think that he got his job because of Cuddy. Now he had to find another place to work.

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Don't know... Maybe teaching?"

"Teaching? You're a hell a lot more skilled than I am and you want to end up teaching?"

"It's safe... at least for now."

Foreman though for a moment. "Why don't you come back?"

"House doesn't want me there." Chase understood immediately what Foreman meant.

"I'm sure he does. Much more than he wants me anyway."

Chase shook his head.

"Chase, it's the best choice for you right now!"

Chase was surprised, that Foreman was genuinely excited about it.

"You don't have to do any procedures. I don't do anything myself anyway." He smiled. " You know, sometimes it's nice to have your own minions."

"They are House's minions."

"They also do whatever I say. And I'm sure House will be more than happy to have you around."

"Two attending for one department, it's too much."

"Maybe he'll fire someone."

"Then who's going to do procedures?" Chase asked with the sad smile.

Foreman smiled back. "Anyway it's too soon to decide now. You still have plenty of time."

Suddenly Chase asked, "What are you going to say to House about my neurological exam?"

"That you're fine."

"And if he wants to see the chart."

Foreman gave him "Are you kidding me?" look.

"If he finds out, that you didn't do it, he'll do it himself and I'd rather he didn't. Besides if he knew that coma was chemically induced, why he still thinks that there could be a brain damage?"

Foreman groaned, why Chase couldn't just accept that he was fine and stop overanalyzing this situation. "Because you didn't wake up immediately. It took you around 24 hours to come back."

"But that's okay." Chase saw enough people in the ICU waking up from the chemically induced comas to know that sometimes it took longer to wake up.

"Tell that to House."

"Anyway, please write something, so he won't suspect anything."

Foreman nodded understandingly and took Chase's chart. It took him some time to fill it. When he finished he put it back.

"All set." Foreman looked around uncomfortably. He didn't visit Chase quite often while he was here the first time. House or Cameron was always keeping him company. But now he felt awkward to leave him alone. Chase seemed fine; he was sitting motionlessly on the bed, obviously lost in his own thoughts.

"I would have never ever done anything like that." Foreman blurted out.

Chase looked up at him questioningly.

"For no one... the least House."

Now Chase understood what he meant, but he had no desire to talk about it. They never discussed it with Foreman and he would like it to stay that way.

"Why did you do it?" Foreman was curios what possessed his former colleague to risk his life for someone like House.

"You would have done the same thing." Chase said with a snort. "You actually did the same thing."

Chase already thanked him for his help, when Foreman falsified his signature.

"It was the least I could do." After some time Foreman added. "I should have stopped you."

"You tried."

"Not hard enough. I didn't know it would end up like that."

"Nobody did." Chase shifted to his side and closed his eyes. He didn't want to talk about it. "Why on earth I want to sleep so much?"

"It's fine. Okay, I'll leave you alone. Sleep as much as you want, soon the little Chase will deprive you and Cameron from a decent night's sleep for sure." Foreman smiled and moved to the door.

He heard a faint "Thank you" from the sleeping form on the bed.

"Don't mention it."

* * *

_A/N: I'm really sorry that it took me SO long to update. Next chapter is almost written and there will be plenty of Chase and Cameron._

_Please comment, your opinion is very important to me and it will make me very happy :)_


	11. House, Cameron, Chase

_A/N: There is no excuse for such a long delay. And I had to reread my own story to be able to post this. But please forgive me for being SO late.  
_

_Thank you very, very, very much for your comments, I appreciate any kind of feedback very much!_

_And as always many thanks to the beta-reader of this chapter - ChibiTomoyo !_

* * *

_Two weeks later._

Being confronted by a pregnant Cameron was more than House could take.

"I need to know." She repeated stubbornly.

"Believe me, there are things that are better not known." House said ignoring her. He opened his drawer pretending to be looking for something.

"Look, if it's nothing, as you're saying, why can't you tell me?"

"Chase asked me not to."

"Chase is an idiot!"

"That's my line."

"House! I have the right to know! I saw him with her at the campus cafe! He was holding her hand and he was..." Cameron couldn't find the right words, "He was so gentle. Who the hell is she?"

"A friend." House answered simply.

"Do you know her?"

"I met her."

"Please tell me what's going on?"

"Why don't you ask Chase?"

She looked at him with disbelief. Chase would never say anything. Besides she already tried and he said nothing.

"Cameron, I won't tell you anything. It's none of my business."

"It is mine business! He is my husband!"

"Then go and talk to him!" House's firm tone indicated that he wasn't going to discuss it any further.

000

One look at Cameron and it was obvious that she talked to House and House gave in. It was hard to stand up to a pregnant woman, and pregnant Cameron was even harder.

"I assume House satisfied your curiosity." Chase was lying on the couch, reading a medical journal. He briefly glanced at her before going back to his book.

"Chase..." She was standing at the doorway, afraid to step inside. Chase could be so cold when he wanted to be, "I'm sorry..."

"Don't." He cut her off, pretending not to care.

But she had learned his body language so well. She came closer and stood before him.

"Please, Chase, I'm sorry! I didn't know! What the hell did you want me to think?"

He took his time to put away his journal and sat a little bit more straight.

"I want you to trust me."

He was right. She averted her eyes at first, but the best defense was attack.

"Do _you_ trust me?" She asked instead of answering.

It was his turn to look away. He said nothing.

"You never trusted me!" Cameron said bitterly.

"I never gave you a reason not to trust me."

"And did I?"

"Yes, Cameron, you did."

"How many times, I have to say it? I'm over him!"

Chase was silent, he couldn't get rid of the feeling, that if that didn't happen to him, she wouldn't be here with him right now.

She knelt at the foot of the couch, adjusting her already big stomach to sit more comfortably. She took his hand, but he didn't even look at her.

"I'm sorry, Chase, I really am. I just... I know I shouldn't push... And House didn't tell me anything."

Chase looked up for an answer.

"It was Cuddy. House told her about Heather. And she had no choice but tell me after she saw how hysterical I was about it. She shouldn't have tell me, I know, but... I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that ever happened to her."

Chase was silent. He was staring at the medical journal spread on his lap. He was thinking about Heather, what she had been through. Last time he talked to her, she was very down and he was alarmed after he listened to her thoughts. He was afraid she would harm herself. He knew that he couldn't help her anymore and she would need to speak to professionals, but didn't know how to persuade her to do it. She desperately wanted to keep it a secret and he didn't have anyone he could trust with this. Even House and Cuddy couldn't keep their mouths shut. Suddenly Wilson came to his mind. He was someone who could help, someone Chase could trust.

Chase felt Cameron's hand on his own. He looked at her. He could see a deep regret and guilt in her eyes and he didn't want her to punish herself much longer. He got off the couch and joined her on the floor. He cupped her face and kissed her gently on her lips.

"I'm sorry too." He breathed to her. "I should have told you."

She smiled and kissed back running her hand through his soft hair. Tears were glistering in her blue eyes, threatening to fall. She was always an emotional person, when she got pregnant it got even worse. She felt sorry for Heather, but her heart broke to think what Chase had been through. She tried really hard not to think about it, but in the moments like this she couldn't help it. She couldn't pretend not to see scars on his handsome face. She ran her finger gently along one of them.

Chase caught her hand when he felt her finger touch his face and brought her hand to his lips. He knew what she was thinking right now and he desperately wanted her to forget, to pretend that nothing ever happened to him.

"Why don't you trust me?" She asked him bitterly. He never told her anything about his prison time. Actually he never told anyone, but she was hoping that they were close enough for him to open up to her.

Chase didn't answer, he was massaging her hand, kissing it softly.

"Please... You have to tell me... I want to know... I want to know what they did to you." She raised his head with her other hand to make him look at her.

"There nothing to tell, baby. Nothing..." He said gently and resumed his kissing.

Cameron couldn't hold her tears anymore.

"You don't love me!" She stated suddenly.

He looked at her amazed.

"You can't love if you can't trust! You protect me like I'm a crystal doll or something, but it's not love!"

Chase could feel his heart ache at her words. But he said nothing to his defense, waiting for her to finish her rant.

"Why are you so closed? Why can't you trust people? Not everybody is like your father or mother! People can care about you!" Cameron angrily got up, wishing she could be more graceful in her current position.

Chase was just staring at her bewildered. Now he really didn't know what to say. He didn't want to offend her anyway and was blaming everything on her pregnancy.

She looked at him one last time and went to their bedroom, shutting the door behind her with unnecessary force.

Chase got up and reluctantly went after her. When he tried to open the door he found it locked.

"Cameron." He called her name loud enough for her to hear, but kept his voice gentle. "Cam, please... I... I'll tell you anything you want to hear... I promise..." He didn't know how he was going to do it, because he wasn't going to tell her anything about his experience, not while she was still pregnant for sure.

He could hear her weep at the other side of the door.

"Cam, I'm sorry... I trust you... I trust you more than anybody!"

"Don't lie to me!" Cameron voice was braking. "The only one you do trust is House, not me!"

Chase breathed out loudly. She was right.

"I'm sorry, baby... I'll do whatever you say... Please open the door... Please..."

She didn't and suddenly Chase started to worry. What if she would go in labor and he would be on the other side, unable to open that damn door.

"Cam! Just open the door and then we can talk."

Again there was no answer.

"Cameron! If you won't open it, I'm going to break through!"

There was no sound and just about the time when he was going to kick the door open he heard the faint click of the lock on the other side.

He carefully turned the doorknob and opened the door. Cameron already returned to the bed and was lying on her side, burring her face in the pillow.

He approached the bed and sat on the edge. He gently run his hand through her hair and was relived when she didn't move away from his touch.

"I'm sorry... I love you... I love so much... I was so afraid that they could... that they could..." Now his own emotions didn't let him make a coherent conversation. "Believe me, you don't want to know what happened there."

She looked up at him with disbelief. "God, you sound just like House!" She could see it so clearly now. They were very much alike, their way of thinking, their closed nature, their jerkiness, their well hidden kindness, their bright minds. It was no wonder now that she fell in love with both of them. If only she could have seen it in Chase earlier she wouldn't bother with House.

"I love you too..." She whispered wiping tears from her eyes.

"You love me because I sound like House?" Chase asked with a smile on his face.

"No I love you because of you..." She leaned forward for a kiss, forgetting what had caused her outburst.


	12. Cameron, Chase, House

_Many many many thanks to **lmbrtvll **for doing a great job editing this chapter!_

* * *

"I think I'm sick."

Chase immediately dropped what he was doing and was at his heavily pregnant wife's side.

She smiled at him. "Not that kind of sick, silly. I think I have the flu."

"How the hell did you catch it? We see practically no one. When was the last time you had any human contact with anybody except me?"

"If sniffling and coughing kids in the park don't count than it could have been a delivery boy," Cameron said jokingly.

"Let me see your throat and check your temperature," Chase asked. Her playful mood didn't fool Chase; he was still concerned about her.

"If you want to play a doctor you can do it just as well in the clinic." Her smile faded. She wanted him to get back to work; she was afraid that the more time he spent at home the harder it would be for him to go back.

"If you want to get rid of me than just say so."

"I don't! This is one of the happiest times of my life. I just worry about you."

"Don't, I'm fine. Cuddy gave me plenty of time off - until you have our baby."

He made an attempt to check her throat, but she smiled and gently pushed his hand away. She got up to make tea.

"Are you sure you're not in labor?"

"I'm sure..." She thought for a moment. "I think, I'm sure"

"Maybe we should go to the hospital and get you checked out. I don't think you'd enjoy giving birth at home or in an ambulance."

"Actually, I was hoping you'd give me a ride." She said with a grin.

"It could be too late for a ride. And honestly, I don't want you to give birth in a vehicle of any sort."

"But I don't want to go there too early either. They won't let me go."

"Doctors are the worst patients." Chase muttered.

She carefully approached him and said barely above a whisper, "Maybe you can have a look. You can do it, can't you?"

He violently shook his head.

"I'm sure you've done it before! What's the difference now?"

"I have! But not to a woman I'm intimate with."

She knew it. He wasn't the type of man who would hold her hand but on the other hand she wasn't the type of a woman who would want him to do so.

"If you want me to _have a look_, then I think we should go."

"No! You brought this up. I was talking about the flu. It's really nothing."

"But it's time."

"Nobody's ever on time. Besides, the first time the whole process could take forever."

"You know it's not always like that."

"Please, Chase. I know what I'm talking about. I don't even feel anything."

"If your plan is to make me deliver the baby, it won't work. I can't and I won't." He didn't say it but he was afraid; afraid that his hands would shake, afraid that he wouldn't be able to think straight. When the time came and it would be expected of him.

"I won't make you do it." She ran her hands through his hair. She knew he was worrying even more than she was and it made her smile.

Chase rolled to the other side, automatically checking the time on the nightstand clock - 4 a.m. He looked at Cameron, she was lying on her side with her back turned towards him, but he noticed a faint light coming from under her arm. He looked more carefully; she wasn't sleeping, she was playing with her iPhone.

"What are you doing?" Chase asked, confused. His voice was gravely from sleep.

"Nothing." She turned to him and placed a kiss on his forehead.

He knew something was up and he should stay awake for her, but couldn't. That was another reason why he couldn't get back to work. He was a doctor, he was on call all times of the day. But he couldn't. Sometimes he would just zone out during dinner, hell, he would have probably slept through the differential if there were one. His body was betraying him. It annoyed him to no end, but there was nothing he could do except wait. That was what Foreman told him, that was what he understood as a doctor himself, but didn't want to accept as a patient.

Cameron listened carefully. When she was sure that his breathing was even and he was fast asleep she turned to her side, complaining mentally for her enormous stomach. She gently put her hand on his shoulder and moved it to his back. She was glad he didn't feel it, the scars she could feel under her fingers would never fade away. He used to be okay with walking in the nude at home, but now he was covering as much of himself as he could, as if he was ashamed of his body and the abuse it had gone through. He shouldn't be, it wasn't his fault, he did the right thing, but he didn't listen to her. She felt a tear slide down her cheek and then she felt her stomach stiffen for almost a minute. She looked up at her iPhone again. She had been counting her contractions before Chase distracted her. Now she could see a pattern, they were coming regularly every five to six minutes.

She slowly got up and went to the bathroom. It felt easier when she was moving. She dialed the number of a midwife from maternity ward. She liked her and they had gotten closer when Cameron was looking for the right person to deliver her baby. Originally she wished it would have been done by Chase or even House, but the more time had passed, the more she felt better in choosing a woman over a men.

Chase woke up to find Cameron fast asleep by his side. For a moment he thought that he dreamed that he caught her awake in the middle of the night, but then he saw her phone on the nightstand and understood that it wasn't a dream.

He was in the shower when he heard the doorbell. He didn't want to open it, but he didn't want to wake up Cameron either. He dried off quickly, put on the bathrobe and went to answer the door.

It was Millie from the maternity ward.

"Hi." He managed with a small smile, unsure what she was doing on their doorstep.

"Hi, nice to see you, Dr. Chase." She hadn't seen him since that tragic day when he was arrested. He looked good. She did her best to hide her feelings about what happened to him, knowing him she expected that pity was the last thing he wanted from the people around him.

He moved aside to let her in. Deep down he knew why she was here, but the thought that _that_ moment actually came left him unable to utter a word.

"Cameron called me, wanted me to have a look at her." She decided to help him out. She hang her coat. "Can you show me, where I can wash my hands?"

He shook his head slightly as if waking up from a dream and led the way. He felt a bit ashamed that his wife had to call someone else to have an exam. He should have been able to do it himself.

She read his mind. "Don't feel ashamed, Dr. Chase. Not many men can see their loved ones in labor, doctors can be the worst."

"No, it's just..." He fell asleep! She needed him, and he fell asleep. He would never excuse himself for that.

"Where is she?"

"Sleeping."

Just in that moment they heard a faint moan from the bedroom. Chase jumped up to Cameron's side immediately.

Millie followed behind with a smile. She brought her bag and took out a pair of gloves. The two women greeted each other, but Cameron's face was still tensed from the last contraction.

"I'm fine... I even managed to sleep, but this one made me wake up." She looked up at Chase, "You can go... or stay if you want." Then she noticed his guilty look and smiled reassuringly, "I'm fine, Chase, don't worry, it's what women are supposed to do."

He muttered a faint "okay" and left the room.

In couple of minutes Millie came to the kitchen. Chase silently handed her a mug of coffee.

"She's fine, but we better be going." She took a sip. Noticing that he became paler in a matter of seconds, she smiled again.

"Everything is all right, it's not like we have to rush, it's just time to go. You can go talk to her, she said she already prepared everything she may need."

Chase wondered when Cameron actually had done that and went to his wife's side.

000

House was standing in the middle of the corridor staring inside one of the private rooms in the maternity ward.

Blinds were half closed so he couldn't see Cameron's face but he saw her hand protectively wrapped around a small bundle. Neither was moving so House assumed that they were sleeping. Chase was slumped in the nearest chair dozing. His head was falling to one side, but when he would hit his shoulder he would jerk awake, then look around worriedly. House turned around and started to walk away.

At first Chase thought that he dreamed the familiar thud of the cane, but then he opened his eyes only to see a long figure slowly limping away.

He got up, looked at Cameron and went after diagnostician.

When he was a dozen feet away he called his name.

House stopped but didn't turn around.

Things weren't smooth between him and Chase lately. Foreman tried to persuade House to hire Chase back but in the process of doing it House managed to learn the whole conversation and the fact that Chase was hurt by what he had done. After that he decided not to bother the young man again. But still he was monitoring his medical condition through Cuddy or Foreman, making sure that everything was fine.

Cameron took Chase home the next day after he woke up from the coma. Wilson was pushing House and telling him that he should visit Chase, but House refused. He knew exactly what Chase was going through. He never forgave Stacy after she had made the choice for him. Now he was doing exactly the same thing and Wilson's words that he saved Chase's life did little for his comfort. The only one who could free him of his guilt, was Chase, who didn't know what to do about it either.

The rational part of Chase knew that House saved him from inevitable death, but the way he did it never gave him rest. He wanted to talk about it with someone, but couldn't. Cameron was busy with preparations for their baby. Wilson would have been on House's side whatever he would say to him. And he didn't want to talk to Forman because eventually House would find out about it. He even thought to share it with Heather but she was too young to understand him. So he was silently waiting for House to make the first move, though he knew perfectly well that his ex-boss would never do it. Sometimes he wanted to call the old doctor, but then would decide against it because it wasn't something to discuss over the phone. And to make himself go to the hospital or even House's apartment was too much effort for him.

And now he had a chance to make things right. He understood that he was behaving like a spoiled child who had been saved from being hit by the train but was crying about a toy he had left there.

He was searching for House's eyes to let him know how truly sorry he was, but the older doctor wasn't looking at him. And when he eventually did, Chase saw there a deep regret as if House was blaming himself much more than anybody else. Chase realized that his words would not be enough to free his ex-boss of his guilt.

"Congratulations... on the baby," House muttered and started to walk away again.

Chase waited for a second and cried:

"Wait!"

But House didn't stop. Chase made several quick steps in his direction and placed his hand on his shoulder to stop him. That move brought back a strange sense of déjà vu - if this were a repeat of last time - Chase would finish his monologue on the floor. House didn't want that to happen, so he stopped to let Chase speak.

"I'm sorry," the young man said, "I'm really sorry. I know you did it to help me, but... but you didn't even ask." Chase was still trying to justify his actions.

"You did the same." House muttered and moved past Chase, but the latter stopped him again.

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't ask whether I wanted you to get killed for me or not."

"House, it's not the same."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I told you, I had no choice."

"You could have come to me."

"You would have thought I was a coward."

"You don't know that." But House knew that Chase was right, he would have never believed that the FBI would have carried through with their threats.

"What is done is done." Chase didn't want to dwell into that subject, "Please forgive me. And thank you, thank you for everything you've done for me."

"You're welcome." House released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He didn't want to believe that Chase's words meant so much to him. But as usual he pretended that he doesn't care and walked away.

This time Chase didn't stop him. He could feel that the diagnostician was still hurt, but he hoped that he would find the way to get things on the mend with House.

_The end._

* * *

_I've finished this story eventually! I know that it's not the best chapter, but unfortunately it's the best I can do right now._

_I want to thank all reviewers very very very much! Also many thanks to the one's who added this story to their favorites._

_My special thanks to **sfchemist** who's long and very helpful reviews supported me more than anything! And to **You're out of your vulcan mind **for being my first reviewer and beta-reader on fanfiction net. I used to be a little upset that authors of my favorite stories didn't comment on any of my stories, but I suppose they didn't like them enough to do so._

_And again, thanks VERY much for reading. I really hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing :) And if you have anything to say about this story please do._


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